Scoff if you must, but the Idyllic Route (called the Idyllische Straße in German and on plates) is a circular route that’s aptly named because this 130km route follows along picturesque river valleys, woodlands, and swimming lakes, through the Swabian-Franconian Forest Nature Reserve in northern Baden-Württemberg, northeast of Stuttgart.

In essence, the natural landscape of the Idyllic Route is, um, quite idyllic. And it’s best enjoyed by either hiking or biking it.

Come to think of it, it’s the only way to do it. ;-)

Oh, and the fact that this was once at the edge of the Roman Empire only enhances this route.

Start of the Idyllic Route

Although the Idyllic Route’s “focus” is on the lovely landscape, valleys and trails, we can’t leave out the adjoined towns and villages, can we? So…

It all starts in Welzheim, once a Roman stronghold. There’s an outdoor Archaeology Museum that highlights these former residents and their castellets. The Senses Experiences is a nifty experience designed to engage everyone of your senses.

If you like roller coasters (or a summer Toboggan track) you’ll love Kaisersbach, the next stop. You’ll also love it if you like charming farms, which are nestled nicely within the Welzheimer Forest.

Look, our first castle along the Idyllic Route! You’ll find Burg Reichenberg (built 1230) is a fortress found in the town of Althütte. Don’t look for a moat though, it’s long gone — and you’ll need to call ahead if you want to see the inside.

It’s worth it, though; this castle just screams of the medieval. ;-)

Next up is Murrhardt, or as it was once known in Roman times as Vicus Murrensis. In honor of the Romans there’s a Roman Museum; plus, it lies along the Limeswanderweg. And if you think the days of the Romans (or just the 9th century monastery) was a long time ago, I can only imagine what you’d think about the dinosaur fossils that were excavated here.

Hey, maybe you’ll get lucky and find more while you’re camping at the Forest Lake? :-)

The valleys of & around the town of Sulzbach an der Murr sure makes for a great photo — almost enough to make you forget about its odd-looking 3-storey castle (built with stone & framework construction), its 13th century military church, and Barefoot Path.

Go ahead, kick your shoes off for a while — this is a walking route, remember? ;-)

The twelve villages of Spiegelberg is a nice place to take it slow to wander around its former mine and Glass Museum.

Another museum of glass awaits you in Wüstenrot, as does the idyllic (c’mon, you had to know I’d be throwing that word around once in a while) Finsterroter See. Wüstenrot is found along the old Roman Limes (boundary), and it has a half-timbered/half-stone 13th century castle (Castle Marienfels).

OK, so it must be Monday when you arrive in Mainhardt then? Whatever day of the week it is, Mainhardt is quite a town — and where you’ll see a reconstructed Roman Watchtower, a Roman Museum, get to swim in a mineral pool, or enjoy a performance at the outdoor theater by an amateur playgroup — all in the Mainhardt Forest.

Oberrot’s got the right idea of the great outdoors with golfing, tennis, cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, and a swimming lake. It should, ’cause it lies within the Schwäbisch-Fränkischer Wald Nature Park. It’s also got a thousand year old church (St. Boniface) and a small mountainside chapel.

It’s too bad that the Burg Rötenburg isn’t in as nice condition as the previous castle (only its 21-meter high donjon remains) — but the 24 villages of Fichtenberg are quaint enough to make up for it.

You better plan for your arrival in Gaildorf on a Sunday, as this is the only day the Kernerturm (an observation tower) is open. Trust me, the view of the Swabian Alb from here is worth planning accordingly. Plus, there’s a local history museum in the 15th century Altes Schloss (Old Castle), which is also a concert venue.

It’s another “Sulzbach” that’s on the Idyllic Route, this time the town of Sulzbach-Laufen — whose landmark is the 15th century Heerenberg Church. I would think it would be the Altenbergturm (a stunning observation tower that’s open year-round) that’s got the best views of the Alb because it’s one of the highest in the region.

For something closer to the ground, visit the Renaissance Castle Chapel at the medieval Castle Schmiedelfeld. Nearby Castle Wolkenstein was built around the same time, but nothing other than its original hill remains.

I can’t believe it, we’ve come to the last town on the Idyllic Route: Gschwend. And what a nice place to end it, especially since there’s a 10-station Art & Meditation Path and two natural rock areas known as the Devil’s Kitchen and Devil’s Pulpit.

In the same vicinity there’s a stone atonement cross, put here by a family sometime back in the 15th or 16th century to make amends for a murder. At least that’s what the legend says.

The view from Gschwend’s Hagbergturm is a pretty awesome place to totally reflect on all the amazing things you just saw along the way. I bet you’ll use the word idyllic more times than not on properly describing the Idyllic Route. ;-)

North Germany is unlike anywhere else in the entire country. It has a culture unique onto itself, with many fishing villages and coastal towns shaping the picturesque region.

There’s also the 98km (61mi) long Nord-Ostsee-Kanal (known as Kiel Canal in English) through Schleswig-Holstein—a major feat of German engineering connecting the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.

So, it’s no wonder that Germany would come up with a scenic route to highlight the very best of its canals, old bridges, and ferries. There’s also a plenty of shopping, sightseeing, art, music, and history. Sound good to you?

Great! It’s known as the German Ferries Route, or Deutsche Fährstrasse, leading you through Schleswig-Holstein and northern Lower Saxony.

Start of the German Ferries Route

The German Ferries Route starts in the city of Kiel, a town founded by Normans & Vikings (thank you Erik the Red). OK, I don’t know if he had anything personally to do with it—it’s just that he’s the only Viking I can remember from History Class ;-)

During Kiel week (last week in June) the city is bustling with excitement when over 2,000 ships converge on the harbor ready to race. Thousands of people flock to Kiel for its Folk Festival, held at the same time. Any other time of the year is still nice to see Kiel; no festival necessary to visit the Shipping Museum, the the 13th century St. Nicolas Church and Botanical Gardens.

Even better is to take a boat ride and see the Kiel Fjord (a fjord is a narrow inlet with high cliffs). Many visitors to Kiel come just to see the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal (Kiel Canal), a 100km man-made canal linking the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.

When you head westward towards Rendsburg, watch out for ferries and bridges; like the Fußgängerfähre Kiel-Wik (a pedestrian ferry), taking you to the other side of the canal; the charming Alter Eiderkanal at the Rathmannsdorfer Schleuse; and the Levensauer Hochbrücken (High Bridge) near the Suchsdorf district of Kiel.

After crossing the canal again using the ferry in Quarnbek-Landwehr, you’ll come across my personal favorite, the Alte Eiderschleuse in the village of Klein Königsförde in Krummwisch (I know that’s a tough one to say in German; good thing you just have stop to take a picture & not even try to pronounce it).

In Rendsburg proper (one remarkably medieval city), there’s the Landsknecht, a community center built in 1541; it’s a gorgeous half-timbered beauty! Sightseeing in Rendsburg is made easy by following the “Blue Line,” literally a blue line painted to help visitors find everything.

Follow the Blue Line and you won’t miss the former synagogue and ritual bath known as a mikvah. It’s also a museum and houses over 6,000 volumes of religious books. You also won’t miss the medieval St. Mary’s church built in 1287 or all the sculptures in Hans Heinemann Park.

Coming of the Blue Line is necessary if you want to head fromo Rendsburg to Osterrönfeld using the Hochbrücke mit Schwebefähre (another High Bridge).

You’ll find you’re headed southwest now passing through the Kanaltunnel (Canal Tunnel). After coming out at the Fähre Breiholz (between Schachtholm and Meckelmoor), head towards Breiholz, after which you can visit the Giselauschleuse, then crossing the canal once again using the ferry to Oldenbüttel.

Heading towards Brunsbüttel and the Elbe Estuary, you’ll pass, use, and across a number of bridges and ferries on your way along the Kiel Canal.

For instance, there’s the dry-docked Fähre Fischerhütte, or another autobahn bridge, known as Autobahnbrücke Hohenhörn, with the Kiel Canal underneath.

After reaching Brunsbüttel (where a ferry to Cuxhaven runs from here during summer), come see the Jacobuskirche Cathedral, which is just gorgeous; and the half-timbered house of Matthias Boie (built 1779). Either venue would make a grand classical music concert hall during the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (which is held in churches, barns, and other buildings around the federal state). That’s certainly worth being a landlubber for a night, yes?

Your last two stops in Schleswig-Holstein (before crossing into Lower Saxony) is the Stör-Sperrwerk, a beautiful drawbridge in Borsfleth-Ivenfleth; and the Fährmann-Statue (um, that would be the Ferry Man statue) at the ferry in Wischhafen.

Well, once you arrived in Wischhafen you actually managed to cross the border to Lower Saxony. ;-) Either way, plan to pay a visit to the Küstenschifffahrtsmuseum in town. I know it’s a freakin’ long word; it simply is a kind of “Coastline Shipping Museum.”

Continue your way on the German Ferries Route to the town of Neuhaus (Oste) and the Ostesperrwerk (a barrier) before arrival. Come see the town’s collection of 4,500 alcoholic beverage bottles and the ornate Baroque church of St. Peter (built 1746).

After Neuhaus (Oste), head southeast along the Oste river and to our next stop on the German Ferries Route: the village of Geversdorf with its cute Klappbrücke (Bascule Bridge).

Oberndorf (Oste) also got a Bascule Bridge, as well as the former Warnow-Fähre (a white, historical ferry) on the Oste river.

Upon arrival in Hemmoor—where swimming in the Kreidesee (Chalk Lake) is the ultimate fun— try some salvelinus, a salmon caught right from the lake, while you’re here. I don’t think you’ll find any fresher seafood anywhere; and what’s the point of loving the water if you won’t its bounty?

Also, look out for the Hemmoor-Kugeln, little stone balls all over town created from the last Ice Age.

Cross the Oste river once again, please, because you’ll want to photograph and/or film the Schwebefähre Osten (Transporter Bridge Osten), in the village of Osten (Oste).

To the south and east of Osten (and right outside the village of Großenwörden) is this old rusted ferry called the Prahmfähre Großenwörden (a flatboat ferry). It’s more than a bit battered, but if you look beyond that, you’ll see how beautiful she really is.

Want to see another flatboat ferry? You can!

Just before Gräpel (part of Estorf), the next to last stop on the German Ferries Route, there are three more of them: one in Brobergen (part of Kranenburg), one in Schönau (they say that one’s just for cattle), and one in Gräpel.

Gräpel has many other cycling paths through the countryside (yes, not all of them are specific to the Ferries Route). Better yet, grab a fishing pole and wait for the “big one” to bite.

After Gräpel, the only place left to visit on the Deutsche Fährstrasse is Bremervörde.

Once there, visit its Geesthof Park, the Bachmann Museum (with its history, geology, and archaeology exhibits), and take a dip in the Vörder See lake. During summer months, the rail line Moor Express brings you to Bremen and Stade.

Ferries, bridges, trains, bicycling, shopping, music, and history are only but a few things of what you’ll see on the German Ferries Route. No wonder this is rated in the Top 3 of Germany’s scenic routes!

German Ferries Route Web Site

It’s actually not a Web site per se. However, I think I found something that’s more valuable for you. Here is an exact route plan on this German Ferries Route Google Map.

Let me start right out and say if you see any typos or the errant, ahhhhh, it’s because I’m on the Black Forest Spa Route — otherwise known as the Schwarzwald-Bäderstrasse — and I’ve found my happy place, my zen, or whatever else you want to call it.

I’m a sucker for a good spa and an even bigger sucker for a great spa. So, imagine how giddy I am right now, traveling all 270km (168mi) of this circular route through the best of what Baden-Württemberg has to offer, smack within the northern half of the mystic Black Forest.

Now, for those of you who are just like me, the spas within the Black Forest are utterly divine; and a great place to spend every waking minute being massaged, pampered, plucked, soaked, and saunaed (is that even a word? who cares…).

But, for those of you who are traveling with anyone who doesn’t care one iota about these things — there are plenty things to do & see along the way. Or, you could leave them home and just take me along with you instead. ;-)

Start of the Black Forest Spa Route

The Black Forest Spa Route officially comprises of more towns and stops than my virtual tour here on this page. But don’t sweat… simply follow the link at the bottom to take a peek at the others.

My trip starts in Pforzheim, a town better known as the Goldstadt (or Gold City) with its jewelry making. It’s also a popular stop on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Believe it or not, I have no time for spa services because with all the other sightseeing, there’s no time left.

Pforzheim’s totally amazing with an arts center, jewelry museum, a wildlife park, and an Alpine Garden that’s open from April to October. There’s also the Wallberg hill to climb — quite the romantic spot for you & a loved one. Hey, don’t look at me, I only had thoughts of a deep tissue massage on the brain. :-)

The same was true of Calw and Nagold. Between all the half-timbered houses and the Vischer Palace (that’s now the Town Museum), then the Celtic royal burial mound and Castle Hohennagold — I almost (ALMOST) forgot why I was here. For which I quickly remembered when I pulled into Freudenstadt.

Freudenstadt reads like a lifestyles of the 19th century rich & famous. Mark Twain, John Rockefeller, England’s King George V, and the Queen of Sweden have come all the way to this Black Forest town to soak in its curative waters.

Over at the Panorama-Bad, you don’t have to do anything other than lay on bubble beds, swim til your fingers look like raisins, park yourself inside a sauna, or have some wonderful masseuse beat the ever-lovin’ stress right out of you. Oh, sorry, that’s what I did!

After feelin’ like Jell-O pudding, I had my choice of a hot-air balloon ride, mountain biking, or a visit to Freudenstadt’s local history museum or the Black Forest Nature Park. Decisions, decisions — now I’m stressed — gonna have to go get another massage.

Baiersbronn was my next stop. This is a lovely town with a Kneipp Health Resort, a 15th century monastery, and farm holidays for the kids. It also has 500km of hiking trails, cross country skiing, (regular skiing, too), and boasts six Michelin star restaurants.

I didn’t want to leave, but I had more spas to occupy and sights to see!

Places like Altensteig, where the Black Forest Spa Route meets up with the Deutsche Fachwerkstrasse. The Fachwhat? That would be the German Framework Road — and Altensteig has framework houses that are about 550 years old. It’s also got moorlands, vineyards, and 700,000 years of human history.

By the time I got to Baden-Baden I was ready to be pampered yet again. Little did I know how well it would be done in Baden-Baden. The soap & brush massage at the Friedrichsbad (the Roman-Irish Bath) was heavenly and the water ritual (it’s 16 steps to it) is blissfully designed to soak life’s stresses away. Hey, even just looking at the frescoes was a treat for the eyes!

Then it was time to see the Caracalla Spa, 3,000 square feet of pure aqua elegance. You’ll be the proverbial kid in a candy store, alternating between the whirlpools, waterfalls, saunas, and hot & cold rock grottos.

With a spa of this caliber, it’d be easy to forget that Baden-Baden has one of the largest concert halls in Europe, a casino that Bond would be happy to visit, and Chanel & Prada stores. Thank heaven for credit cards!

Things are a bit simpler over in Bad Herrenalb. But, I didn’t say boring. Bad Herrenalb was (is) known for its 12th century Cistercian Monastery that was dissolved when the Protestant Reformation came to the area; and there’s something magical about the ruins.

The town also has a 9-hole golf course, and its Siebentäler Therme (Seven Valleys Thermal Spa) is surrounded by sandstone cliffs.

My trip ends in Bad Wildbad, a town that’s been a resort village since the 15th century. Yes, the 15th century — meaning, they’re doing something right. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the big pinkish building. That’s the Palais Thermal, built in the 19th century and welcoming guests from all over the world.

After the hot springs, how about a visit to the Local History Museum or Bad Wildbad’s 18th and 19th century churches?

Oh, no… not again. Decisions, decisions. I think I need yet another massage. Oh, maybe a facial this time… ;-)

Black Forest Spa Route Web Site

Unfortunately, there’s no dedicated web site yet, though here’s one that shows the Black Forest Spa Route with more dots. ;-)

Close to Bad Liebenwerda in southern Brandenburg, the town of Falkenberg (Elster) is made up of six villages, each with their own flair and sights to see.

Frankly, many of the sights in Falkenberg are the village’s churches. But, many of them have a number of festivals throughout the year to make coming here a lot of fun.

In Falkenberg proper, there is a museum (right on the Marktplatz) that is part Local History and part Natural History. Come on over to the Tourist Office where they’ll give you all sorts of information on local accommodations and events.

I’ll fill you in about some of those events while we’re exploring around Falkenberg together. OK? Good, ’cause we’re headed to Rehfeld, whose 20th century church houses a 12th century baptismal font.

Over in Beyern, there’s a 13th century church and a Parsonage building that’s the oldest house in town, built in 1738.

Großrössen also has a village church, but also hosts an annual Summer Festival, a Village Folk Festival, and an Oktoberfest. It also lies along the Schweinert Nature Reserve, where you’ll see one of the biggest Bronze Age burial mounds ever found.

Its sister village, Kleinrössen, also has a charming village church, and hosts many concerts and events as well as Sunday services. You’ll probably get a chance to meet all the residents, as there are only 75 of them.

Kleinrössen also lies along the Schwarze-Elster-Radweg, a 100km scenic route that you take by bike; and where you’ll find the Schwarze Elster Bridge, saved in 1945 from being destroyed by the bravery of one man.

Kölsa is quite a bit bigger than Kleinrössen, a village of just over 700 people. Most visitors to Kölsa come to see its historical village church; but a good deal more of them come for Village Celebration on the second weekend of August, and the annual Nicholas Fair.

The last village of Falkenberg (Elster) is Schmerkendorf, which too has a village church to see. But, I’d also suggest looking for its 700 year old Elm tree and its early 17th century rectory.

Noticed that I haven’t mentioned a castle in all this time? Did you think that Falkenberg didn’t have one? Guess what, Falkenberg itself doesn’t, but nearby Sallgast does. The Schloss Sallgast almost wasn’t, saved in the nick of time before the Swedes leveled it during the Thirty Years’ War.

Good thing, because this Renaissance castle is quite striking; and is now a restaurant, hotel, and the tower houses a small history museum.

See, I told you each of Falkenberg’s villages had something to see & do—and there’s a castle thrown in for something extra. ;-)

It’s true, if you stop learning something new every day you might as well just hang it all up. Sometimes it’s something major, like Algebra. Often it’s something small like a new word.

Today, Folks, I’m going to tell you what I learned in the town of Nossen in Saxony, not too far from the Ore Mountains.

Konversenhaus.

What’s that, you ask?

A Konverse was an entryway into a Kloster (a monastery) for lay people (non monk & nun folk) to enter the monastery to work—the layperson who lived here to help the monks lived in the Konversenhaus. Point being, you’ll actually see one at the Kloster Atzella.

That’s about all that remains of this 12th century monastery, which was used until around 1540. It is still the site of a Corpus Christi Procession (about 50 days after Easter) and as Cistercian Order history museum (open only in the summer, BTW).

If you can’t get in, just stop long enough to take a picture of the Romanesque entryway; it’s an amazing piece of medieval architecture.

What other pieces of architecture can I tell you about in Nossen? Oh yeah, along the Marktplatz there are a number of houses that are around 200 years old. The Drugstore is one of the oldest, built in 1809. But, the Pöppelmann Bridge is older, and still romantic after more than two hundred years.

I learned something else in Nossen (oh, a twofer!). Did you know that the City Church (you’ll find it along the Marktplatz) kept a Sea Monster rib? This huge animal bone was on display at the 13th century church for the longest time, and was considered a relic at the monastery.

Not cool enough for you? How about a castle then? Schloss Nossen might have been a mighty castle in the 12th century when it was built, but today it’s a history and toy museum. Who cares that Napoleon stayed here, the library has over 6,000 books.

All the better to learn something new today, isn’t it? ;-)

Call me a romantic, but any place that still does Christmas caroling is A-OK in my book. People just don’t do that kind of thing anymore. Except in Adelsdorf in Middle Franconia. I’m exaggerating, and I’m pretty sure that it does go on in other places—but I’m not writing about them right now. ;-)

In addition to the Christmas carolers, Adelsdorf has all sorts of Christmas concerts and Advent programs.

Don’t have the Christmas Spirit? Perhaps the community Winter hikes are more for you? No?

OK, what about the Church Festivals? St. Stephen’s holds theirs on the third Sunday of October, while St. Lawrence holds theirs on the first Sunday of August. The Chapel’s festivals comes at the last Sunday in September, and the Kirchweitag on the 2nd Sunday of the same month.

Not everyone is a party animal at heart, some people prefer more quiet pursuits, like hiking. Don’t worry, Adelsdorf’s got you covered. There are quite a few marked nature trails to follow with “themes” like the Fishing Trail that details all about the fishes and water. The Forestry Nature Trail tells about wildlife in the area, right down to foxes, ducks, and even badgers.

Along the Hofsee you’ll find even more wildlife, and Adeldorf offers a day fishing license if you’re interested. Keep your eyes peeled for the storks and purple orchids.

Itching to see a castle? I’d say so, and not only because Adelsdorf actually translates to “Aristocracy Village.” ;-)

Luckily there are two. I should say that it’s lucky that Schloss Adelsdorf is still here. It was built in 1120 (with a moat no less), and destroyed during the Peasants’ War in 1525; only to rebuilt and destroyed and rebuilt again.

The coolest part of Schloss Adelsdorf isn’t the many exhibits it hosts throughout the year, nope—it’s the White Lady who’s said to live here. Get it? The castle’s said to be haunted.

Haven’t heard about any ghosts over at Schloss Neuhaus, but this 11th century castle suffered sort of the same fate as Adelsdorf; it was destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed again (this time by the French in 1796), and rebuilt again.

No one’s mentioned ghosts at Jewish Cemetery, dating from the 14th century. It’s pretty large, with over 1,500 graves; the last one being in 1941, with all its gravestones pointing in the direction of Jerusalem.

There aren’t any spectors, ghouls, or apparitions over at the prehistoric burial mounds from around 500 B.C. Too bad, because any place that’s said to be haunted is A-OK in my book. ;-)

You won’t find fifty or sixty small hamlets that make up one larger community in the town of Lugau in the Ore Mountains. Nope, just two. Which is just enough, I tell you.

Where do you find these two villages of Lugau? In Saxony, of course, right between Chemnitz and Zwickau. Sounds easy enough to find, right? It is. ;-)

Now that you’ve found it, what is there to see?

How about at the medieval belfry, found right at the churchyard? The bells still sound great after more than 500 years.

Onwards to the Lugauer Cross Church, the medieval house of worship is gone—this one replaced it in 1843. But, inside you’ll find a real Gothic pulpit, as well as a life size crucifix. Hopefully you’ll get to see it during one of the church’s musical concerts, or just for Sunday services if you’re so inclined.

Next, head to the Meinertsche Spinnmühle (a Spinning Mill). Looks like a creepy mansion, doesn’t it? It’s not, but it is the oldest factory of its kind in the country.

Lugau might have been a factory town, but it was also a mining town. It was also the site of a major mining disaster in the 19th century, which is why you’ll find a monument to those who died because of it.

There’s also a memorial stone dedicated to those who fought for the Nazi Resistance, and another one to the victims of the Nazi regime.

I’m sorry to say that Lugau lost its Local History Museum in 2005 after its caretaker died at the age of 97. Forget the museum, the man himself was a piece of walking history. I know that doesn’t qualify as a site to see in Lugau, but it seems to warrant an honorable mention.

All that’s left to do now is party hearty. Lugau hosts all sorts of festivals, including a Dragon Festival at the end of September and an Autumn Festival in mid-October. There is, of course, a Christmas Market that’s always on the 4th Sunday of Advent—but there are also Advent concerts held throughout the season.

Oh, no, that’s not all there is. I almost left before telling you about Motorcross events, volleyball, soccer, and tennis. Plus, all the hiking that you can do in the Ore Mountains, and its nature reserve area.

Ah, who needs all those villages and hamlets that some other places have… Lugau is doing fine with just the two its got.

In terms of thousands of years of German history, the town of Moringen in Lower Saxony is a relatively new town; just shy of being 300 years old.

Well, maybe I should say the new town of Morigen, since a fire ripped through the place in 1734 destroying more than a hundred homes and over 150 businesses—including its brewery.

Townsfolk used this unforeseen circumstance to totally remake the place, instituting new building methods and making wider streets to keep this from happening again. Hence, a whole new Moringen.

The 18th century also gave Moringen its first orphanage; which, in turn, became a black mark on the town.

How could an orphanage do that? Isn’t an orphanage supposed to help children?

Yeah, except when some Royal Yahoo decides to turn it into a “workhouse” for drunks, prostitutes, and debtors.

In the grand scheme of things, that’s not so horrible—its true ugliness came from 1933–1945 when the former orphanage became a concentration camp housing political prisoners and juveniles.

After the war the Camp was used to help displaced persons, and now it houses a permanent exhibit on the Holocaust.

That’s not the only museum in Moringen, there’s a Local History Museum and the Gasometer Museum which details the (very) early 20th century Gas Works.

All of these sights came after Moringen’s great fire, but a number of places are still around. The chapel in the village of Behrensen (one of the 9 hamlets of Moringen) dates to before the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century; and it wasn’t the fire that destroyed the George Chapel in Lutterbeck, it was the Thirty Years War itself.

Oh wait, the George Chapel wasn’t rebuilt until 1736—so I guess that’s new too. Anyway, I guess we’ll have to go to Fredelsoh where you’ll see the 12th century monastic church of Sts. Blasius & Mary. And the Martini Church is a Romanesque Church, which means it comes from the Middle Ages.

Isn’t it nice to know not all of Moringen is new? Still, they should bring back the brewery. ;-)

Poor Bindlach. This small (if you call 35 villages small) town in Upper Franconia lies right on the border of the town of Bayreuth. You know, that festival town that hosts that month long festival of Wagner operas?

Oh puhleeze, just because you got a celebrity living right next door doesn’t mean you’re not fantastic yourself. You know what I mean?

Anyway, what’s on the agenda for sightseeing around Bindlach? The Forkenhof for starters. This old farm’s been around since the 14th century, but it was the work of one blacksmith that built it up as much as it is. It even had a brewery at one time, too bad it closed down in 1950.

I guess you’ll be regulated to drinking in the beer gardens, or at events like the mid-October Flea Market, the Autumn Flea Market at the end of October, or the Advent Markets at the end of November and early December, respectively. One of the best festivals is the Bärnkerwa (a church festival) every August that’s been celebrated since the 1880s.

We Germans love tradition, don’t we?

These aren’t the only reasons to be outside, the gorgeous Fichtelgebirge is another. It’s a mountain range that stretches all the way to the Czech Republic, so try not to hike too far. ;-)

One sure way you don’t wind up in another country is to take the 50 mile loop trail.

I’d be looking for the Bronze Age urnfield, if I were you. It’s from around 1,300 B.C.—a heckava lot older than the Baroque St. Bartholomew Church (built 1760s at Kirchplatz 1), or the Evangelical Luther Church of St. Wallburga, built in 1740. OK, St. Wallburga’s was here back in 1365, though it had to be rebuilt after a devastating fire.

For something more modern, head to the Air Force Base that was occupied by the United States until 1992. It used to be a German base during WWII before that.

Did I miss anything?

Yeah, I did. Bindlach even has fishing and golfing, and there are a number of bicycle trails to follow. It’ll be OK if you didn’t bring your bike—rentals are widely available.

Like I said, Bindlach’s fantastic itself—being next door to Bayreuth is secondary. ;-)

I saw it written somewhere that Heidesheim am Rhein in the Rhineland-Palatinate was a large municipality. Well, if you’re walking every square inch of its 17.5km then it might seem like it.

Oh yeah, it’s one of the biggest in the Rhenish Hesse region.

Heidesheim doesn’t come across as a large town, though; it’s a place of graceful, little lanes with shuttered windows decorating well-kept houses. Heck, even the pizzerias and wine bars are just charmingly Old World in style.

Some folks in the “Old World” lived better than others, and nowhere is that better seen than in or at a castle. Windeck Castle (built 1209) is known as a Lowland Castle, a castle not built on a hill or higher elevation, employing other methods to protect itself. Burg Windeck had a moat at one time, and belonged to the Knights of Herdegen.

Because it’s found on flat ground, you don’t have to trek up the mountainside to take its picture. Outside only, though, as it’s not open to the general public.

You can see the interior of the St. George Chapel, built in the 5th century. It’s actually two pieces of history rolled into one, as it was built over a Villa Rustica. You know what that means, Romans.

They weren’t the first to come calling, Stone Age men & women lived here more than 5,000 years ago. The Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum) is a great place to learn about all those who lived here beforehand, don’t you think?

Afterwards, come see the Town Hall (called a Rathaus) from the 1860s, the Protestant Baroque Church (built 1752), the Baroque Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, the Jewish Cemetery, and the many half-timbered houses scattered around town.

I would not, however, venture out to sightsee while there’s a festival going on. There is a Kirmes on the first Sunday of May, a Harvest Festival on the 1st Sunday in October, and a Christmas Market at the end of November. OK, now you know. ;-)

If you can, check out the Weekly Market every Friday for the best produce and other goodies you can sink your teeth into. You’ll need the food to keep you going while you’re walking here, won’t you?