Diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, but here in the town of Oberviechtach it’s gold that’s the attraction.

However, the precious metal isn’t all that you’ll find here in the Upper Palatinate Forest Nature Park, just so you know.

Oberviechtach is also the hometown of the celebrated Dr. Johann Andreas Eisenbarth, a 17th century surgeon who had no medical training. He’s so beloved around here there’s a festival in his honor. Come to the local City Museum to learn more about the man who once traveled with an entourage of over 100 people.

There are a few sights here in Oberviechtach that were here in Dr. Eisenbarth’s day. The Ägidius Church (in the village of Hof) is one of them, built way back in the 1100s. The medieval church is quite impressive, built with wall over a meter-and-a-half thick.

The Burgruine Murach was also built around the same time, and tours of the ruin are available if you’re interested in learning more about its medieval history.

Another of the town’s gorgeous churches is the Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) of St. John the Baptist, whose 36 meter high towers are truly impressive — so is its Rococo designed interior.

Oberviechtach isn’t all history and architecture, mind you. Nope, it’s got that gold thing I was talking about, too. It’s your choice which one of the three Gold Trail routes you want to tackle (all of them?). And if there’s a group of at least six, get in on a Gold Hike (May to October), where you can learn how they panned for the stuff way back when.

Afterwards, why not stop for a beer? Just don’t expect to drink one out of the world’s largest beer stein — which holds a whopping 4,718 liters of the stuff. Good luck trying though, the stein stands 4 meters tall. ;-)

Wait… before you head out to a beer garden — best to get in all the cycling, hiking, fishing, and swimming you can. And don’t think you’ll be without anything to do when it’s winter — there’s cross-country skiing, tobogganing, and skating to do, too.

Told you there was more than just gold to be found here in Oberviechtach — a town that’s truly a gem.

Oh yeah, it’s time to get down to the serious side of eating around here in Hügelsheim, also known as a Spargeldorf, or Asparagus Village.

What? Don’t judge me, sometimes all you want to do is sit down and munch away on some of the freshest veggies known to man. It is the “King’s Vegetable,” ya know?

Every year from April to June many of the local restaurants in this part of Baden serve up some mighty good eats, so be prepared to try some if you’re here this time of year. Even better if you do it while the Spargelfest (Asparagus Festival) is taking place — but that only happens every other year.

Between you and me, buy yourself the Hügelheimer Spargelkochbuch, or Asparagus Cookbook in English. Trust me, you’ll be the envy of all your friends if you make these recipes.

Don’t worry about any of the calories, ’cause you’re bound to work them off doing many of the outdoor recreational activities you’ll find here in the Upper Rhine Valley.

Swimming’s a good way to workout, so long as you do it from May to September at the Erländersee. And the weather’s pretty good most of the year, which might explain why the golf course is open year-round. Even if you don’t like golf, the views of the surrounding Black Forest and Rhine make it worth it.

Of course you could always do the traditional kinds of activities, like hiking and cycling. In fact, why not trek along the nearby Pamina Cycle Route.

Rather watch than participate? OK then, come in the winter when a hockey game is going on at the local Eisarena, or ice arena; whereas summer lovers might appreciate the bobsledding instead.

Not too bad for a town that doesn’t even measure fifteen square kilometers, does it? I didn’t think so either. And the town even has quite an old church. The St. Lawrence Church was built more than 500 years ago, so I’d say it’s really old.

I’d also say I’d like to go back to eating here in the Spargeldorf of Hügelsheim. See you all next time.

Today it’s all about the town of Seelbach (Schutter) in the wonderful Ortenau, which is also a known health resort town. Call it whatever you want, I’ll just call it utterly fantastic — but that’s probably also because of the all the old castles around.

Yes, for those of you who don’t know, I love old castles; doesn’t matter what century they come from, if they’re fully intact, or laying there in a crumbly ruin.

Now that I think about it, there’s probably a castle here in Seelbach that fits those descriptions.

Alt-Geroldseck is one of the oldest, built in the 12th or 13th century (no one’s exactly sure). A 400-foot section of the castle is about all that’s left of this grand structure — only because it was abandoned because someone built another one just up the road.

I know, that makes no sense to me either. Really, it’s not like these massive fortifications could be built overnight, right? Anyway, Hohengeroldseck Castle came along in the middle of the 13th century, and the ruins have been owned by the same family since the 1600s.

Another ruin is the Burg Lützelhardt. Even though not all that much is still standing, you can still marvel at its old Romanesque styled windows and medieval cistern from the 12th century.

Take solace in knowing there is an intact castle to be found, the Wasserschloss Dautenstein. The original castle is more than 700 years old — but you can’t tell from looking at these days.

As you’re meandering around the countryside looking at castles (or ruins), make sure you take time to just appreciate the natural beauty of the region. One route that comes through Seelbach is the Schwarzwald-Querweg Rottweil-Lahr. Yes, it’s a looong name, but the 99km hiking route is just heavenly. Oh, and you’re awfully close to the Triberg Waterfall, so c’mon over to see it!

A quicker way to make your way around town is join in the Seelbacher Marathon every June. No, not for me, I’ll take a leisurely walk around the Katharinenmarkt instead — and I’ve got plenty of time to enjoy it every November (since 1455), as it’s a weeklong affair.

This is probably the one thing that could make me forget about visiting a castle.

Nah, I love them too much. So thanks Seelbach, it makes me love you even more for having them. ;-)

Along the Via Claudia Augusta and an old Salzstraße (Salt Road) lies the town of Altenstadt (Lech), a historical town in Upper Bavaria near the Lech River that’s seen just about everything under the sun century after century, making it quite the historical place to visit.

What’s even better than that (is there anything?), the modern town that it’s turned into makes it an awesome place to visit.

The town itself was once crawling with Romans, and if you listen closely enough you can hear the clank of their armor. Oh, silly me, that’s the armor of medieval knights who once defended Burg Burklaberg — a 12th century castle. It’s too bad nothing really remains from its medieval heyday.

Oh well, you’ll just have to marvel at the artwork at the Romanesque Church of St. Michael. Its two towers loom over the town, but it’s really known for its sculptures and wall paintings from the Middle Ages.

The following centuries also saw quite the building boom in town. Some old buildings, like the Pfarrkirche Heilig Kreuz that were built in the Gothic style saw renovations centuries later.

BTW, a great way to experience all the pretty churches and chapels is along the Kirchen- und Kapellenweg. Just don’t let anyone tell you the St. Ignatius of Loyola Chapel is any older than about century — it wasn’t built until the early 20th century.

As the are officially in the 21st century, the 20th century counts as historical too. From 1937 to 1940, the town of Altenstadt was home to a military anti-aircraft school. After World War II ended, Altenstadt became home to countless displaced people in what was then part of the occupied American Zone.

Now in the modern age, this town is fantastic for enjoying some great outdoor recreation. From May to September its outdoor swimming pool is open, but you can also enjoy a game of tennis or try fishing. Two other ways to explore the Upper Bavarian landscape are the cycle trails and hiking routes. You know what, make that three ways… since there’s always cross-country skiing trails to try, too.

As I said, Altenstadt really is an awesome place to visit. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s some stuff I need to buy at the Farmer’s Market. Yup, it’s even got one of those, too. ;-)

Has anyone watched a television program where one of the characters was played by a different person? Like anyone’s not gonna notice? That’s how I feel when bureaucratic politicians change the names of towns — and that’s just what they did on 12/1/2011 to the Collective Municipality of Hörsel — known simply these days as just Hörsel.

The town itself is named for the river that flows alongside it, located just west of Gotha in central Thuringia. It’s considered to be a rural community, but you will find some outstanding hidden gems if you’re willing to look for them. Thankfully you have me to do all the legwork — and tell you exactly where things are.

There are 10 villages to now Hörsel, and it seems like each one has its own village church. The one in Aspach, with its white tower and black steeple, dates back more than 500 years. I love the village church in Ebenheim, just for its amazing stonework. And in Fröttstädt, the Church of the Redeemer is the town’s landmark — despite only being built in 1903.

If you want a Baroque church, then it’s off to Laucha to see St. Kilian’s (built 1720), and the Marienkirche in Mechterstädt (built 1716) is stunning from the outside alone with its tall tower and steeple. However, and that’s a mighty big however, the best of them all is the Church of St. Michaeli, a medieval original that’s got a Baroque pulpit — but whose stone tower is capped with a gorgeous black steeple.

Wait, I take that back… the Church of St. John in Trügleben is the best — whose square tower and crumbly look is best appreciated from a southern vantage point. Trust me, I know these things.

Now I’m not going to drag you all the way to this part of Thuringia to see some old churches. You’re more than welcome to join in all the fun during one of its festivals. Let’s see… there’s a Village Festival in Teutleben, along with the Maypole celebrations, too. Trügleben is known for its Fall Festival, while Weingarten has both an Easter bonfire and Church Festival, and Hörselgau has its own Harvest Festival.

Even though crazy German politicians have nothing better to do than confuse the general public with changing town names — one thing you can’t ever get confused about is how great places like Hörsel truly are. Agreed? ;-)

If you’ve managed to read all the wonderful pages available here on MyGermanCity.com, you might have noticed time and time again the word “Burg.” Generally when you see it, you’d automatically think of a castle — but not this time. It’s also a marvelous town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania — which is named for its castle.

So, what do we discuss first — Burg Stargard the castle, or Burg Stargard the town?

As the town was named for the medieval castle, let’s talk about the massive complex originally built in the 12th century. There are almost a dozen buildings that comprise the castle, and the donjon is probably the most recognizable of its structures (it is the town’s landmark after all), and popular for its Local History Museum. Though I fell in love with the arched windows of the castle’s 13th century chapel.

Hey, what can I say… I’m not normal. But if you want some normal fun, then the Burgenlauf (Castle Run) in August might be a good start. This time, though, I’ve chosen a nighttime flashlight tour — a great way to spend a November evening.

No big deal if the weather’s too chilly that time of year for you. You can come for the Fisherman’s Festival in August, or the Mittelaltertag (Medieval Day) at the castle in September, or the Burgfest (Castle Festival) in August.

Yes, I’m aware that I listed those out of order (it hurts my German way of thinking), but I was too excited to go exploring around the countryside to care. From March to October you can ride the toboggan run, careening down the mountainside at a distance of 30 meters in altitude around no less than eight curves.

That might be too much excitement for some people, so you’re more than welcome to stick to the 4-marked cycling trails, the 2-marked hiking trails, swim at one (or all) of the nearby Mecklenburg Lakes, or take a horseback ride. Trust me, no one will judge you for taking it slow.

Holy mackerel, I got so excited about the outdoorsy stuff I almost left out my favorite subject — history! Oh wait, maybe not since I already told you about the castle. But there’s also a pretty City Church (built 1758 over an older one), and you can visit the Marie Hager House — a 20th century painter who once lived here.

It’s easy to see why she might’ve been inspired to create — but I’m too busy at the nearby Tierpark (zoo) with the kangaroos and Berber monkeys to put anything on canvas.

OK, maybe it was the wine since Burg Stargard is said to be the “northernmost wine growing region in Germany.”

Sweet. History and wine and fun things to do? Burg Stargard, you’re my new best friend. ;-)

Brilliant, it’s back to Bavaria for me! Now that’s not sarcasm, I’m genuinely excited to always be in Bavaria — and this time it’s the Lower Franconian town of Oerlenbach. What’s really awesome about coming to this fun loving federal state is — you never know what you’re gonna get.

For instance, are you going to find a town with a bazillion festivals? Are you going to find a town full of old village churches, or castles for that matter? What if I told you that you could find a little bit of everything here — wouldn’t that be great?

Of course it would, so let’s get to it…

In the village of Ebenhausen, one of Oerlenbach’s eight villages, you’ll find one of those old churches I mentioned — right on Brückstraße, and it’s close to an old sandstone cross from the early 17th century.

Now that I think about it, you’ll find a whole bunch of these old crosses all over the village — and many of Oerlenbach’s other villages, too. But, I’m getting off topic, aren’t I?

Didn’t I say something about a castle? Of course I did, and Schloss Ebenhausen is it. The original castle was built in the 14th century, only to be destroyed during the Peasants’ War in the 1520s, and again during the Thirty Years’ War in the early to mid-17th century.

As for seeing old churches, then I’d suggest going to see the Church of St. Martin in Eltingshausen. It was built in the 1300s. And it wouldn’t be right not to see the Church of St. Dionysius in the village of Rottershausen.

As with any proper Bavarian town, you could bet your last Euro (Dollar, Rupee, whatever) that you’re gonna have a blast at one of the local festivals. It seems like there’s always something going on, but August is really popular. That’s when the Forest Festival, Dorfplatzfest, Summer Festival, and an Oktoberfest take place.

October’s also a popular month for fun, with another Oktoberfest and a Kirchweih. June’s a good one, too, since that’s when the Pfingstmarkt (Pentecost Market) and Dorffest (Village Festival) take place. May is another goodie, that’s when you can party at the Fisherman’s Festival and the Maypole celebrations.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said you never know what you’re gonna get in Bavaria — ’cause I know what you’re gonna get here in Oerlenbach, a dandy good time.

Once important to the mining trade, the town of Ronneburg these days is more important to the tourism trade. What? Like there’s something wrong with that? All that means is you’re especially welcome to this Thuringian town who loves its visitors; and visitors will no doubt love Ronneburg.

Bordering Gera, Ronneburg lies along the Fuchsbachtal Route, and is quite close to the Elster Cycle Path.

Oooh, goodie… two bike routes for the price of one. :-)

Now before you go cycling off too far, make sure you’ve gotten to see some of the sights around town. You know, like the Stadtkirche (City Church) found right on the appropriately named Church Square, or Kirchplatz. The “modern day” church you see before you today only dates back to around 1668, since the original one from the early years of the 13th century burned down in the 1660s.

In fact, that devastating fire in the mid-17th century ruined hundreds of building, but along the Altstadt (Old Town) Passage are several reconstructed half-timbered houses — preserving an Old World flavor in a more modern metropolis.

Speaking of blending old and new, the Dragon’s Tail Bridge is a modern engineering marvel, and does it as a 225 meter undulating wooden structure (you know, like in the old days); and all the better to “preserve the integrity of the landscape.”

As for old, you don’t get much older than at the Knights Hall at the Hinteres Schloss, which is found within the oldest part of the castle. These days the castle isn’t bustling with knights and bellowing barons, it’s the venue for all sorts of concerts and exhibitions.

In addition to the concerts at the castle, Ronneburg hosts other kinds of events, like the Spring Ball; Easter Egg Hunts; the Drachen- und Familienfest (in September); and the Pyramidenfest in December.

I told you that you’d love Ronneburg (Thuringia) — and as you can see with everything there is to do, it loves you right back.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve gotten to Saxony, so I was really excited to find myself in the town of Ehrenfriedersdof (that’s a mouthful, isn’t it), located within the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, very close to Annaberg-Buchholz (8km) and 21km to Chemnitz.

This area was quite big on mining, so be ready to hike along the Silberstraße, a 12km hiking trail. Funny, that’s exactly the length of the Rundwanderweg, too. Anyway, the Saxon Museum of Industry does a great job explaining the ins and outs of mining, while the Tonis Haus der Steine offers a chance to see a huge collection of quartz.

Not all of Ehrenfriedersdorf is about mining, ya know. The Planetenwanderweg (stretching all the way to Drebach) will take you to the far reaches of the solar system, whereas the Waldgeisterweg is a hiking trail touting the wonders of the town’s backyard forest. Give yourself time to see the Greifensteine, a baker’s dozen of granite stones that double as an outdoor theater in the summer.

FYI, right down from the Greifensteine is the Greifenbachstauweiher. Open from May to September, the water is just perfect for swimming and sailing, camping, and games like volleyball. Don’t confuse this with the outdoor swimming pool — which is only open from early June to early September.

What’s great about things to do in Ehrenfriedersdorf, is you’re not limited to the warmer weather. The place is bustling even in winter — and with some 20km of cross-country ski trails, downhill skiing, and tobogganing — it’s no wonder.

For something a bit romantic, I can’t think of anything better than a horse-drawn winter sleigh ride.

I’m probably missing out on a lot, so a proper City Tour is what you might want to arrange. And no trip is finished without a visit to see the Pfarrkirche St. Nicholas (located at Oberekirch Straße 10). Church tours are given on Saturdays, so long as you call ahead to see this fabulous 14th century edifice.

My only regret is not to have seen the Fairytale Christmas Market, held on the third weekend of Advent. And I missed out on the City Festival in September, too. Oh well, maybe the next time I’m in Saxony. ;-)

Just a town south of Thuringia, along the southern edge of the Thuringian Forest, lies the Upper Franconian town of Sonnefeld and its ten other districts.

While sitting between some heavy-handed neighbors (like Coburg and Kronach), you’re not going to find a long list of attractions here. But, it more than makes up for it with other stuff to do.

I know, I know, that kind of doesn’t make sense; but it will all become clear in a minute. ;-)

As for Sonnefeld’s “attractions” (a word that doesn’t quite seem to fit), that would be its fortified church in the village of Gestungshausen, which is considered to be the oldest of all the town’s villages. And you’ll spend a good deal of time at the Klosterkirche Sonnefeld, a monastery church whose Innenhof (courtyard) gives you a sense of quiet & serenity.

Ooh, let’s not leave out a visit to the Lauterburg — a castle built in the early years of the 12th century. These days it lies in ruins, but you can still make out its arched entryways after more than 800 years.

All right, quiet time is over; time to party in fine Sonnefeld style. Do you really expect anything less? This is Bavaria. Anyway, Spring is one of the best times to be here — if only for its Maibaumfest, or its Village Festival (Dorffest) and Schützenfest taking place in June.

Summer really rocks in Sonnefeld, as that’s when a number of Summer Festivals are held, along with the Brunnenfest (Fountain Festival), another Schützenfest, and one of the town’s Kirchweih celebrations (4th Sunday in July in Wörlsdorf).

You’d think things would slow down when the weather turns colder, but no way! There are two more Kirchweihen in September, and another three in October. November brings on more fun, with yet another Kirchweih and a Wine Festival.

You might have to defer to a calendar every year to find the date for Sonnefeld’s Christmas Market, held on the second Sunday of Advent. If you’re super lucky, you’ll be here when there are Christmas/Advent concerts held at the Klosterkirche.

Now it makes sense that you’ll have plenty to do around here, doesn’t it? ;-)