Could you imagine saying, I think I might have once been a Celtic settlement, but I’m not sure?

It appears that’s the case with the Upper Bavarian town of Krailling. It might or might not have been at one point in history, but I’m not an archaeologist nor a properly trained historian — so I’ll let them duke it out.

FYI, Celtic jewelry had been found in town, so you be the judge.

Yet, no one can argue that Krailling was a Roman settlement, having a Roman Road that came right on through. There’s no one disputing that. ;-)

Romans or Celts aside, today the town of Krailling (that borders the city of Munich) has its festivals and some other historical sites.

Just about everyone comes to see the Church of St. Margaret — the present day building didn’t come along until 1747, but a church was here 400 years before that.

You’ll want to see the Altes Rathaus (that would be the Old Town Hall) while you’re here, too.

Older than Krailling’s church, was the Hofmarkschloss. I say WAS because the 12th century castle (whose foundations you can see) was destroyed in 1810.

From the old to the new, check out the Schwarzes Haus — a home done entirely in black shingles. Somehow it actually works — and looks good. Go figure.

I know it doesn’t seem like there’s a whole lot to see in Krailling, but the town’s only a mere 16 square kilometers, so what do you expect? ;-)

As small as it is, at least it has a “pond.” Berger Pond is pretty popular with visitors and locals alike — so come on over (it’s not like it’s gonna be far) and enjoy a quiet lunch or have the kids run a bit. This isn’t even including Krailling’s beach volleyball court.

As charming as Krailling is all year round, this Upper Bavarian town is even better during its festivals. The Maypole Festival is held every year on May 1st; and the Christmas Market is always a big hit. Between the two are a number of summer concerts to keep you entertained.

With all the festivities I can’t imagine the historians and archaeologists having the time to argue about anything. :-)

How do you manage to go up against cities like Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Heilbronn? Easy, you add 700 years of viticulture, which is exactly what Knittlingen in the great Kraichgau did.

You also add in a bit of legend…

Originally known as Cnudelingen when the town was founded back in the 9th century, Knittlingen is said to be the birthplace of Johann Georg Faust in 1480. A museum dedicated to this alchemist, magician, healer, and fortune teller is here (housed within a historical early 18th century timber-framed building). Also here is the Faust archive, located within the Old Latin School.

Poor Faust, he died in an explosion in 1540 — said to be caused in his quest to make gold.

Hey, at least there’s a bi-annual (that’s every 2 years) Fauststadtfest in his honor. Not too shabby for a man who was said to have soul to the Devil at an inn in Staufen im Breisgau, wouldn’t ya say?

In between the Faust City Festival, you can spend ample time wandering around the North Black Forest region, the Naturpark Schwarzwald, and doing all sorts of cycling and hiking (whether close to the town’s lake or not).

The Black Forest is some of the most tranquil, beautiful real estate on the planet — so you’re bound to occupy your time in the grandest of settings. No wonder camping’s a big deal out here.

Non-nature lovers can always go to see the Steinhaus (Stone House) or the Protestant St. Leonhard’s Church at Marktstr. 9. Also on the Marktstraße are lots of those half-timbered houses that everyone loves so much.

I do too, but I’d still prefer to live in a medieval castle. Wouldn’t you? ;-)

Maybe a few liters of wine from the surrounding countryside will make me forget my woes of not owning one. With more than seven centuries of wine making, I know the stuff tastes goooood.

Try some for yourself, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Just don’t imbibe too much — you never know if the Devil that got Faust will want to make another deal. ;-)

Sometimes it seems that all there is to see in a town are some churches, a Town Hall (called a Rathaus, in case you didn’t know), and maybe a castle if you’re lucky. This is partly the case in the town of Kuppenheim.

Yes, Kuppenheim has a church (St. Sebastian’s); and it’s a gorgeous one built in 1902 in a Neo-Gothic style. And the town has a charming Rathaus, built in 1730. Sorry, that’s the Old Town Hall — there’s also a new one that’s used for municipal purposes these days.

Oh, and Kuppenheim is home to a stunning castle. The manor was built in 1710, and is open to visitors from March to September (everyday 10am-6pm) and from 10am-5pm in October and November. Sorry, it’s closed the other months of the year.

I guess I was wrong when I said that was partly the case in Kuppenheim — it does have all these things.

What it also has is a Jewish Cemetery. Now that might not seem like a big deal to some, but Kuppenheim had a Jewish community as far back as the 15th century, but the town’s Jewish Cemetery (called Jüdischer Friedhof) didn’t exist until 1694.

There was a synagogue, but it was destroyed in 1938 — which pretty much signaled the end of six centuries of the community.

Kuppenheim also has parts of its medieval Stadtmauer, which was a defense wall that was meant to keep bad guys out & its residents safe inside.

Now, everyone is welcome (except the bad guys) to enjoy Kuppenheim’s Carnivals (held on the 1st weekend of May and October), and to see the fantastic artwork at the Bilderhalle Grochowiak (located at Rheinstraße 33) or the Kuppenheim Local History Museum (at Johann-Schaeuble-Straße 1).

Had enough of being indoors? Good, then it’s time to enjoy the Northern Black Forest nature park, or the well-marked cycling trails (some are only 7 or 8 kilometers long, so the whole family can enjoy them).

Sorry, I guess I should have mentioned Kuppenheim was located within the Black Forest in the beginning. But, then again, you might have tuned everything else out — and missed out on everything else Kuppenheim offers. ;-)

I think it was a crusty, old, orange cat called Garfield that said, “I don’t do Mondays.” Maybe not, but either way the folks in the town of Kirchheimbolanden in the Palatinate don’t do them either.

OK, just not the folks at the Palace Museum.

Um, do I really need to tell you this Local History Museum is closed on Mondays? Other than that, most other places are happy plugging away at all sorts of other jobs in town. ;-)

You could use your Monday to meander around town looking at the medieval defense wall (known as a Stadtmauer) that towers about eight meters high in some areas.

Within the perimeter of the original Stadtmauer is a gorgeous Rococo style palace, once home to Baron von Geispitzheim.

Our good ol’ baron didn’t do anything totally out of the ordinary or make some crazy mark in history; I just thought his name sounded cool. Baron von Geispitzheim. Go ahead, say it a few times to see what I’m talking about? ;-)

Alongside the palace are both a beautiful garden and a stunning 18th century Orangery. A rococo palace deserves an exquisite garden and outbuildings, does it not?

But, I think a town like Kirchheimbolanden (it hurts my fingers to keep typing a word this long) deserves a bunch of fun festivals and markets.

I prefer the Kerchemer Bierwoche (a Beer Week), but unfortunately takes place every two years instead of every year at Corpus Christi (sorry, you gotta check the Christian calendar for the exact date).

And again, you’ll have to check the Christian calendar to get the exact date for the annual Christmas Market on the 2nd weekend of Advent. Oh, it’s so worth it — there are lots of crafts, art, and food to be had by all.

Don’t worry, no extra calendar is needed to find out about an annual festival on the 2nd weekend of August, and the May Market (2nd Sunday in May) and October Market (2nd Sunday of October).

After all that eating, drinking, and shopping at Kirchheimbolanden’s markets and festivals, it’s a wonder that the rest of the town doesn’t do Mondays either. ;-)

There isn’t much I can tell you about the town of Könnern.

I can tell you a little bit about its history, it was once part of Brandenburg-Prussia, ya know.

I could tell you a bit about its geography. You’ll find the thirty villages (with names like Strenznaudorf, Lebendorf, Hohenedlau, and Cörmigk) of Könnern just about in the middle of Saxony-Anhalt.

You can easily get to Könnern via the Bundesstraße B6, or the A14 Autobahn from Magdeburg or Halle (Saale); and that’s just by car. The train, however, is also another option for finding a way to town. Just hop on the Harz-Ebe Express; and you’ll arrive at the beautiful Bahnhof (in case you haven’t guessed, that would be the train station.

Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot of sightseeing in terms of old buildings (‘though the train station is very quaint), so make sure you come to see Könnern’s Church of St. Wenzel. No, this isn’t a grand, stained glass edifice; St. Wenzel’s looks more like a brick military church.

Did you know that a military church isn’t a church whose congregants are military personnel? Nope, it was a medieval church that was used for the defense and protection of its parishioners.

Uh, I never said life in the Middle Ages was a cake walk; marauders were always trying to pillage and plunder something. ;-)

Unfortunately, pillaging and plundering wasn’t just regulated to medieval times.

Found within Könnern’s cemetery are the graves of eight people who died on a death march from the Langenstein-Zwieberge Concentration Camp (a sub-camp of Buchenwald’s Camp) in April 1945.

Also buried within the city limits are twenty women who died during their forced labor days; and the graves of three unknown men who also died while serving as forced laborers.

I originally said I couldn’t tell you a lot about Könnern, but it turns out there’s more to this town than I thought.

Oh, I’m so glad I was wrong…

Saxony’s town of Lengenfeld (Vogtland), and its eight villages, was once the site of a subcamp of the Flossenburg Concentration Camp. So, it’s no surprise that you’ll find quite a number of memorials that center around this disastrous time in German history.

One memorial is dedicated to 246 victims of forced labor, another is both a memorial and mass grave to almost five dozen men and women who died in the subcamp. Yet another memorial is honor of the dead, those who didn’t survive a death march in 1945.

Lengenfeld even has two World War I memorials, one just outside the historic St. Giles Church with the names of its long-gone sons.

The Franco-German War Memorial doesn’t list any names, but they’re not forgotten either.

While war memorials might not seem like history, they are. But if you’re looking for something more traditional in that sense, come to Lengenfeld’s Local History Museum. You’ll find it right next to the Feuerwehrmuseum or Fire Brigade Museum, filled with all sorts of old-time fire equipment and vehicles.

Lengenfeld’s other museum is the Klopfermühle, a mill dating to around 1438 that’s been owned by the same family since the 1860s. Either way, it still makes wheat and flour — as well as having its own health food store.

Great, both historic and good for you. :-)

You know what else is good? The Freizeitpark Plohn. This is an awesome theme park that’s terrific for the whole family with places to eat, a mini train that’ll take you around, Dino Land (dinosaurs, anyone?), and areas that highlight the Snow White and Hansel & Gretel.

I don’t think you’ll want to come here during Lengenfeld’s annual Harvest Festival in September. Leave that weekend free, you’ve got plenty of time to see the park and everything else.

I’m sorry to say the Street Festival (held at the City Park) is a bi-annual event on odd-numbered years. Oh, I can still smell the wurst cooking.

Wonderful, I’m hungry now… Where’s that health food store again? ;-)

Odds are that by the time you’ve clicked on this webpage for the town of Lichtenau (in Saxony, BTW) that you’ve read a good number of other pages on MyGermanCity.com.

Why do I bring this up?

Simple, because you’ve probably noticed that Germany is a country with an exceptionally long history — and many towns within the country are chocked full of historical sites (and I tend to be a bit of history nut, too).

So, what does a history buff do when they arrive in a town that doesn’t have a whole heckava lot of history?

Party.

Hey, even Historians need to let their hair down once and while, don’t ya think?

OK, and maybe do the whole “outdoor adventure” thing too.

In between Lichtenau’s festivals (like the Sports Festival in early July, the Children’s Festival in August, the Village Festival in early September, the Autumn Festival in late September, and two Christmas Markets in early and mid-December) you can explore the Ore Mountains, or the Erzgebirge as it’s known in German.

Hold on a sec, let me catch my breath…

All right, I’m back — let’s see. The Ore Mountains are great for those of you looking to do all types of hiking or cycling, as well as enjoying nature reserve areas. Keep in mind, the area of the Ore Mountains (located between Saxony and the Czech Republic) doesn’t enjoy long, hot summers. The weather tends to turn colder here sooner than in other regions of Germany — and snow in the winter is common.

Oh, perfect for cross-country skiing or snow hiking that’s all the rage these days, no?

Maybe this is why the town’s outdoor pool has a short swimming season. Still, you got plenty of time to throw yourself down the 26-meter waterslide, do some bowling or billiards, or let the kids frolick around the children’s pool.

But, because I’m a history buff at heart, I’m glad Lichtenau has some historical sites. Check out the old Silver Mine, and see three of Lichtenau’s Lutheran Churches (in Auerswalde, Niederlichtenau, and Ottendorf).

Nah, in this case, I think I’ll just enjoy the cooler weather of the Erzgebirge this time.

How many parents often dream about getting away from the kids? Maybe ship them off to their grandparents or camp, then pick an adult-only place to enjoy some peace & quiet?

Funny thing is, you won’t find yourself adding Loßburg to that “adults only” vacation destination.

This ain’t Hedonism, ya know.

And I’m implying that if you’re traveling to Loßburg without the little ones that you wouldn’t enjoy it. It’s just that the town is exceptionally family friendly, so the kids will have a grand time of it.

There are a number of adventures for adults and kids alike, maybe you should consider staying at a local farm. A good deal of them have many programs to teach children about animals and agriculture.

I think the kids will enjoy the Adventure Tours, that offer everything from nature programs to buggy rides. Chances are, they’ll just love swimming in Loßburg’s indoor and outdoor pools (the outdoor one has a 44-meter long waterslide) too.

Winter is also a really fun time to come. There’s downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and a 140-meter long toboggan track. And the Vogteiturm (a 31-meter high observation tower) has the most wonderful views no matter the season.

The treehouse (with views of the Lake Linzig, the Black Forest, and the Swabian Alb) is great whether you’re 8 or 80!

Oh yeah, speaking of Lake Kinzig, did you know there’s a spot where you can drink right from the source? No? Well, you do now — and no bottled spring water tastes so delicious. ;-)

To engage your mind, Loßburg has a Local History Museum (open Wed. 2pm-430pm & Sun. 2pm-5pm), and castle ruins (the castle was built in the 13th century).

For something a bit more spiritual, Loßburg sits along the Jakobsweg; or the Way of St. James — a religious route that leads to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Hmm, I thought all roads led to Rome. Guess I was wrong. ;-)

I do know that I’m glad that at least one road led to Loßburg.

Wow, does it tend to get a bit cold up in the town of Leck. What? The air resort town sits right on the Danish border, which is part of Scandinavia. And if you haven’t heard, that isn’t exactly a tropical destination. ;-)

I bring up the weather right away because the average temperature for almost three months hovers at around the 0-degree Celsius (32-degrees F) mark. Um, that would be right at the freezing point.

Oh yeah, my kind of place. How lovely it would be to sit in a thatched-roof cottage with a hot cup of coffee whilst the wind blows in from the North Sea. I think it’s some folk’s Heaven. ;-)

So, with just about three months of the year with chillier weather, you’ll have to cram a whole bunch of stuff within the other nine months.

You might want to save the Plattdüütsch lessons for when it’s colder, though. What’s Plattdüütsch? Oh, that’s just Low German — and Leck offers lessons to keep that language alive.

One of the best places to visit is the town’s Climatic Spa. There’s everything here from swimming to hydromassage, and tanning beds.

Yes, tanning beds. Didn’t we just learn that Leck isn’t a warm, sunny destination? ;-)

However, you might find yourself getting SOME sun while you’re off enjoying a million outdoor activities. Let’s see, there are a number of 18-hole golf courses nearby, miniature golfing, Nordic Walking, hiking, bicycling, kitesurfing, and mudflat hiking on the Wadden See.

Mudflat hiking? Oh, this is great if you’ve never done it. You got to wait until the tide goes out, then you can walk right out on the mudflats. You might want to consider taking a seasoned guide with you — as they’ll know the tide schedule.

After you’ve come back in from the mudflats, come see the 800-year old St. Willehad Church or sit with that cup of coffee at one of Leck’s many cafes or restaurants.

Sorry, the thatched-roof cottage fantasy is mine. ;-)

A good cup of java is a nice start to Leck’s Weekly Market (Fridays 7am-2pm), and to kick off the Children’s Festival in July. Just make sure some little whippersnapper doesn’t come along & grab your cup of Joe! ;-)

Sure, I can tell you all about how Löffingen sits within the Black Forest, and that very well might be enough to entice you to high-tail it on over. But, that’s not all of what Löffingen is about.

Well, since I already mentioned the Schwarzwald though, I should start there. The Black Forest Park is one of Löffingen’s largest attractions. The game reserve and amusement park seems to be what brings thousands (and thousands) of visitors to the region.

I guess not everyone is out to enjoy a Black Forest spa, huh?

Also found within the Black Forest Park are a number of festivals. The Lake Festival with a “dragon” boat race every year at the end of July is one of the biggest; and there are a number of Nature Park Markets held throughout August and September.

Even if there’s no market or festival going on, the Black Forest Park (open daily 10am-7pm) has natural habitats for all sorts of animals (including yaks and wolves), and a falconry exhibition.

Just so you know, there are also a number of historical sites to be seen. Start at the Heimatmuseum, a local history museum with the skeleton of a 7th century resident, exhibits on home & school life; and the best part — admission is free!

Löffingen’s museum is located at Rathausplatz 4, Monday through Friday from 9am to noon, then from 2pm to 5:30pm. That’s plenty of time to see everything — including its fossil exhibits.

Löffingen is also famous for its prehistoric grave mounds (think Bronze Age, if you will) and was once on a popular Roman Road.

Although, I’m pretty certain that the Romans weren’t hiking around these parts for fun like you can do. They also might have had to “camp” out, but again — not in the fun kind of way that’s done around here now.

Too bad, Mr. Roman Centurion Man — you’d really like Löffingen these days — just ask anyone who’s ever come here. ;-)