Is it possible to not be a beach person, yet still be able to love a beach town? Before seeing the resort town of Laboe, I’d probably have said no way. Really though, what’s not to love about strolling along a promenade on the Baltic Sea coast surrounded by villas worth millions of Euros?

Thankfully that kind of cash isn’t needed to enjoy yourself, just a few Euro will do to rent yourself a Strankorb (beach chair) while basking in the warm sun.

Wait… did I say warm? Ha, you haven’t been here in January when the weather’s a balmy 6 degrees Celsius! ;-)

No wonder the folks here in Laboe wait until the heat of summer to do everything. I’d say that’s a great time of year to come for a game of Kubb, also known as Viking Chess. If you’ve never heard of it, you throw these batons to knock over wooden blocks.

I’d say throwing things is a good stress reliever, wouldn’t you? ;-)

Other outdoor stuff to do in Laboe involves everything from swimming in the Seawater swimming pool (like there’s something wrong with the Baltic?), but the sea doesn’t have a waterslide, a children’s pool, or spa. There’s also things like beach volleyball, motorcycle tours, and hiking around nature conservation areas.

What’s even better is Laboe isn’t devoid of historical stuff, either. See that big propeller mounted by the water? That belonged to the Prinz Eugen, a German warship that survived World War II — but capsized at the end of 1946. And that 72-meter (236ft) tower is a memorial to sailors who lost their lives in both World Wars.

Laboe does more than just remember its lost sailors, it’s still bringing them year after year. So if you got a boat, you’re welcome to park at the local marina, or come for the parade of boats at the German Classic every August.

You’re also welcome to join all the fun at one of Laboe’s other festivals. One of the biggest is the Förde-Fest Laboe Open Air, but there’s also the Summer Festival in July, and the Maifeuer that welcomes Spring in every May.

Not too shabby for an old Slavic fishing village, eh?

Want to know exactly where you are when you’re visiting the town of Eggesin? I’ll tell ya… If you go any further east, you’ve left Germany entirely. That’s right, it’s wonderful neighbor is Poland.

But, we’re not here to tout the virtues and wonders of Eggesin’s eastern border — we’re here to find what makes Eggesin so great.

I know two things that make it so fantastic: the Naturpark am Stettiner Haff and the Ueckermünder Heath. For anyone who’s into the whole loving nature thing, this is the place to be, finding everything from orchids to black storks, spotted eagles to plants known as marsh marigolds.

And it’s a great place to be if you love the water, because the Baltic Sea is really close by. Perhaps this is why Ludwig von Schröder, a German Admiral, was so inspired. This is Admiral Schröder’s hometown, a local boy who had the distinction of earning such military honors as the Pour le Mérite (Germany’s Blue Max), the Prussian Order of the Crown, and the Grand Cross of the Bavarian Military, to just name a few.

Sounds like just the right place for a Military Museum, don’t ya think? Not too shabby for a town that got its start as a simple Slavic village.

As for the water, there’s probably not a better place to appreciate than along the Randow River. You can take a leisurely boat ride, if you’re so inclined, or just take a stroll along its banks. Just be sure to stop by the Wasserwanderplatz, an area that’s got a marina, BBQ areas, and even a playground for the little ones to run around.

You’re not limited to doing things just by the water — and guided hikes and cycling tours are readily available for anyone who doesn’t want to explore all on their own.

One place you certainly won’t be on your own is in the middle of one of Eggesin’s many festivals. The Blaubeerfest is one of the most popular — and despite its name, it isn’t about beer, it’s all about the blueberry.

Other festival fun in Eggesin would be events like the Fischer- und Hafenfest (Fisherman and Harbor Festival) in August; the Brückenfest (Bridge Festival) every May; and the Mühlenfest (Mill Festival) in October.

I guess I’ve found out what makes Eggesin so great… and I think you’ll see it that way, too. ;-)

Here we go again, do I mention just the individual town of Schwaan — or do I go through each of its independent villages about the Collective Municipality of Schwaan, located in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania? Hmm…

To heck with it, I’m going for the gusto — Collective Municipality it is. Why? Simple, ’cause how else will you know about the Bronze Age graves found in the town of Bröbberow? And nowhere else but Kassow will you see a granite “memorial stone” in honor of Burg Werle, once a castle from the 7th (yeah, that’s the 600s) century.

I’m fully aware Schwaan’s Jewish community doesn’t date back that far, only to the 1770s — and you’ll find a stele marking the site of Schwaan’s former Jewish cemetery. Another place of religious worship to see is the Church of St. Paul. From its 19th century renovations you might not realize the church is almost 700 years old.

Your church visits don’t have to end here. I just loved the Dorfkirche (Village Church) from the 1300s. Maybe it’s the squat tower I loved so much. It’s quite different from the brick Dorfkirche found in Vorbeck — another church from the 13th century, BTW.

OK, your church visits can end here — only because you’ll need time to visit the outdoor museum on Slavic history in nearby Groß Raden. Life was rough in the 9th and 10th centuries, but at least you can experience it with all the wonderful conveniences of the modern age. ;-)

If you really like being outdoors here in northern Germany, then find the hiking trail behind the Wassermühle (Water Mill), which winds around the meandering Warnow River.

That’s in addition to the five cycling routes around town — which aren’t too arduous, as they range only from 13 to 24 kilometers. Don’t balk, the smell of the nearby Baltic Sea does wonders for relieving stress.

Another one of Schwaan’s calming places to visit would be the Art Museum, filled with works from four local artists. The Franz Bunke House is the former home of one of these artist — and you’ll find plenty of info about the local Artist Colony at the Kunstmühle. Oh, it’s easy enough to find, it’s located at Mühlenstraße 12.

See… it doesn’t matter if it’s just Schwaan, or the “bigger” Schwaan. It’s just wonderful to be here. ;-)

The town of Himmelpforten (known as Himmelpoorten in Low German, literally translating to Gates of Heaven) is a town of three districts, but when you factor in that it’s part of the Samtgemeinde (Collective Municipality) Oldendorf-Himmelpforten it becomes some ten districts, and increases its size to over 17,000 residents spread out over 196.24 square kilometers.

That’s a lot of ground to cover, so it’s a good thing I’m here to help you find all the highlights of both the town, and the Collective Municipality.

A great place to start is the Local History Museum (Heimatmuseum), a great place to learn more about the local environment, and the region’s prehistoric history. Can I actually call it that?

Nevermind, I’m thinking about the environment, and the best way to explore it is on one of the many different cycling routes that cross around the countryside. You’ll find the Elberadweg (Elbe Cycle Path) around here, as well as the Nordseeradweg (North Sea Cycle Route) and the Mönchsweg (Monk’s Trail). Plus, once a year the community comes out to bike along the Niedersächsische Milchstraße (Lower Saxon Milk Route) all together.

Yikes, almost forgot to mention the Nature Reserve Hohes Moor and the Nature Trail that might only be 2.5km long, but offers ponds and plenty of shady trees. Plus there’s the Hammaher See, great for fishing and hiking — perfect for the nature lovers.

As for the town’s architectural history, you’ll find lots of fantastic old churches to see, like the St. Peter’s Church, known for many of its old gravestones in the cemetery in the village of Burweg.

Speaking of the town’s villages, in Düdenbüttel, you’ll find a charming old mill from the 1850s — the reason Himmelpforten lies on the Niedersächsische Mühlenstraße (Lower Saxon Mill Route); while the village of Hammah is famous for its Neolithic graves, and Heinbockel has charming pubs for a few rounds of drinks after a long day of sightseeing.

All of this sounds totally great, doesn’t it? Well… what if I told you the best time to be here is Christmas? Because that time of year, Himmelpforten turns into Christkinddorf (Santa Village). A winter wonderland with loads of letters to good ol’ Santa Claus arrive full of little kids’ wishes for the season. No surprise with that town name…

My wish is the same no matter what season it is — for all of you to love Germany (and places like Himmelpforten) as much as I do.

What a mouthful the town of Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf is. Yeah, try saying that fast ten times — it ain’t easy, is it?

Oh, it wasn’t always this hard since Mohlsdorf and Teichwolframsdorf used to be two separate towns, only united on January 1, 2012 — increasing its size to just over 50 square kilometers, and its population to around 5,000 people

While its name isn’t all that easy to say, falling in love with the place is simple enough — thanks to its great location along the Werdauer Forest, its old churches, and its castle ruins. What else more could anyone ask for?

How about a place to start?

I’d suggest doing that in one of Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf’s smaller villages, like Gottesgrün. Literally translating to God’s Green, this village doesn’t have but just over 250 residents, and it’s where you’ll find a lovely 17th century church. Or, you could start in Neudeck, a village of farms once ruled over by “East German Agriculture.” The same could be said for the village of Rüßdorf (which lies along the Weiße Elster, BTW), too.

The river makes a grand place to go hiking around this part of Thuringia, or you could venture out to the Katzenberg, the highest point in the area at 476 meters above sea level. The Thuringian Slate Mountains, known as the Thüringer Schiefergebirge in German, also await you. The biking trails might seem a bit daunting at these heights, but you’re richly rewarded with the most astounding views.

Yeah, you’re right, best to stick locally… this way you can visit places like the village church in Sorge-Settendorf, or the mausoleum that’s the final resting place for an aristocrat from the House of Reuss. Hey, they were kind of important in German history, warranting their very own scenic route — the Princes of Reuss Route.

And what’s a prince (count, duke, whatever) without a castle? You’re awfully close to Schloss Dryfels, a proper medieval castle from at least the early 13th century. OK, it might be in ruins today, but at one time its donjon had walls some 3 meters thick. No one was escaping from that, were they?

Some other wonders await here in Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, like the pretty village church in Waltersdorf and its 16th century Corn Mill. And in the village of Kleinreinsdorf, a place of rolling hills, are tidy cottages that make for great photo-ops — so do the half-timbered houses in the village of Großkundorf.

I told you there was plenty to see in the double-mouthful town of Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf — and by combining them, made it doubly nice to be here. :-)

With a Collective Municipality of the same name, it might be kind of confusing when talking (or, in this case, writing) about the town of Freinsheim — located right on the edge of the Palatinate Forest, in the Upper Rhine Valley.

As much as I’d love to delve deeper into the natural beauty of the place, it seems as if there’s too much historical stuff to distract me. Freinsheim is a characteristic Old World town, with remnants of its medieval days — but also has things to see from later periods.

Being a lover of the Middle Ages, I was excited to see pieces of its Old Town Wall. The Eisentor, one of the town’s gates, was built somewhere in the 14th or 15th century. The Herzogturm, or Duke’s Tower, was constructed during the same time — and is believed to have been a dungeon at one time.

Old defense walls aren’t the only thing typical to the medieval period. Because what are the Middle Ages without a castle, I ask you? As the medieval period was drawing to an end, Freinsheim’s castle (with a moat no less) was built, way back in 1471.

And I ask you, what would the Middle Ages be without a church? There is one here, by the way, the Evangelical Church, whose Romanesque tower is all that’s left from its medieval beginnings — but I’m still technically counting it as a medieval building.

We can debate it later, ’cause right now I’m thinking about all the fun festivals and cultural events taking place throughout the year. Like clockwork, you can count on the Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival) taking place on the first weekend of June, the Rotweinwanderweg on the 4th weekend of June, and the Stadtmauerfest on the third weekend of July. That’s in addition to the Christmas Market taking place over the four weekends of Advent.

And to go back to the pretty natural beauty of Freinsheim, you’ll find little fruit farms and a Baroque garden to wander around. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it?

You bet it does — so make sure you come see for yourself. ;-)

Wasn’t it Shakespeare who wrote something like “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways”? No, I don’t think it’s odd to quote one of the greatest English writers to ever live here on a German website, because it was his words that instantly came to mind about the town of Krauchenwies.

Yes, little town in the Sigmaringen Distict, let me count all the reasons I love you.

First off, the town’s located in the Danube Valley, so that means it’s natural scenic beauty will absolutely delight. Trust me, head to the Baggersee Lutz and you’ll understand. If you want to stick around longer, camping’s always an option for getting closer to nature.

Another reason to love Krauchenwies is the Hohenzollern Route. Schloss Krauchenwies, originally a medieval moated castle, once belonged to the famous ruling family. These days the castle is still privately owned, but that doesn’t change the fact the castle’s still charming almost 400 years after it was rebuilt.

Believe it or not, there’s yet another reason to love Krauchenwies… This time for the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. I’m not going to split hairs here, but it seems all of Krauchenwies’ churches are something to behold. The proper Baroque church title would belong to the Church of St. Nikolaus in the village of Göggingen, built in 1805. St. Ottilien’s construction began much earlier, in the 15th century to be exact, and it’s known for its Gothic Pietà and Renaissance crucifix.

It was the onion dome of the St. Laurentius Church that first caught my attention, and over at the St. Killian Church it was the Rococo design that sticks in my head.

Think we’re done counting the reasons to love Krauchenwies? Nope, I can think of one more reason… a good party. So, if you’re lucky enough to be here in August, gear up for the Summer Festival; while October is a perfect month for hosting the Wine Festival.

There are still plenty of other ways to love Krauchenwies, but don’t you think these reasons are utterly fantastic? Yeah, I do too. Thanks, Shakespeare, for helping me put it into words.

What’s the difference between Wittenberg and Wittenburg? A whole bunch apparently. This page is dedicated entirely to Wittenburg in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, not the Lutherstadt Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt.

Now that we are on the same page, the Amt Wittenburg (i.e., the Collective Municipality of the same name) is actually nine districts that maintain a real medieval flavor — even after all these years.

Since I mentioned the Middle Ages, let’s start there…

Over in the village of Körchow is a pretty stone village church from the 13th century. And the Church of St. Barts is a tad different, it’s constructed of brick — but it is also from the 13th century. I don’t know what was going on the 1200s around here, but yet another church was being built in the village of Wittendorf. You’ll know you’re at the right church… it’s got this fat, wide tower.

And, throughout the 13th and 14th centuries Wittenburg’s Stadtmauer (city wall) was constructed as well. They sure knew how to build things to last back then, since parts of the wall and its tower are still standing. Over on Wallstraße is part of the city wall, and whose tower is now a home for the storks.

Ahhh, wonderful wildlife.

The 19th century also saw a building boom, since that’s when the Rathaus (Town Hall) was built (1850).

For as charming as that is, nothing, and I mean nothing, is as outstanding as a local family’s mausoleum. The family crypt is straight out of a horror flick with arched windows, dark cracked stone, and looks even scarier on the bleakest of winter days. By far, this has got to be the creepiest crypt I’ve ever seen. Loved it! ;-)

Nowhere nearly as creepy as the mausoleum is the Dutch windmill, also from the late 19th century. So, if you’re not into the whole horror movie thing, come here instead.

Now if you think there’s nothing else to see in Wittenburg other than old buildings, you’d be wrong. There’s a museum to visit, ya know. Located right on Kurt Fischer Straße, the Mehlwelten (Flour Art) Museum is only open on Sundays (or, every second Sunday during Winter). Plus, if you’re totally into the whole art thing, you’ll find some wonderful sculpture around town. Of course, you could just come for the annual Christmas Market and still manage to have a good time.

Here’s a thought… you can read some of the works of Hans Franck, a 20th century writer who was born here. Don’t confuse him with Hans Frank, the notorious Nazi lawyer, although he did kinda, sorta pledge an allegiance to Adolf Hitler. He died 30km away in the city of Schwerin in the mid-1960s.

While there might be a difference between the two towns of a similar name, they’re both historical and pretty gosh-darn wonderful. Either way, you’re not gonna go wrong with visiting each of them.

On the west side of what was once the Inner German Border is the town of Rühen, which is actually part of the Samtgemeinde Brome since the mid-1990s.

Whatever geographical, political what-not the town chooses to associate itself with is of little consequence; I just think the place is pretty cool. Ok, that might not be the best adjective to describe the place — but once you hear all about it, you can fill in your own.

For something historical and educational, I can’t think of a better place than along the Border Trail. From 1945 to 1989 the country was divided between East & West, and a guided tour is the best way to learn about the division through the later years of the 20th century.

It might not be educational to stroll along the banks of the Mitteland Canal, but it is a great place to just watch the ships pass by. And it wouldn’t hurt to venture out a bit further to places like the Lüneburg Heath (along with other nature areas) to see plenty of wildlife like otters; storks; deer; and badgers. Then again, there’s fishing to be done at the Ohrsee if you’re interested. A carriage ride is a brilliant thing to do, too.

All right, the educational and the natural — let’s get to the architectural. In the village of Brechtorf is an old fortified church, known for its frescoes. As for Burg Brome, the 16th century castle is now a museum with exhibits on things like blacksmithing and shoemaking.

The only thing left to do is “party like a Rockstar,” as these kids today say. Ok, ok, it isn’t all like that here in Rühen, but you can have a blast at community events like the Kartoffelfest (Potato Festival) in September, the Gemeindefest and Summer Festival — both in July, the Castle Festival in August, and the Christmas Market at the end of November.

Do you see why I say Rühen is a pretty cool place? I’d love to hear what you would call it — let me know. ;-)

With hourly service from places like nearby Ulm and Sigmaringen, you’ll find getting to the town of Munderkingen quite easy.

Now that you have absolutely, positively no excuse for coming around — I highly suggest you do. Why?

Yes, that’s a simple enough question to ask — but not exactly an easy one to answer. There’s so much going on, I’m afraid I’ll leave something out.

Located on the banks of the Danube, Munderkingen is one of those Old World European towns with its own medieval “City Center.” So, you know what that means, right? Yup, plenty of half-timbered houses to photograph on your travels. Seriously, it really does feel like you’ve stepped into a time-warp; even the Rathaus (Town Hall) still has its old pillory right outside.

Yikes, don’t think I’d want to be locked up in one of those. ;-)

Also, high up on the hill is the Church of St. Dionysius. The original Gothic church, built high up on the hill, was constructed in 1275, but it has undergone both a Renaissance and Baroque renovation over the last 700+ years.

There are a number of other old buildings to see in Munderkingen; so you’ll want to make sure you come see the old Rectory (built 1706); the Marienkapelle, one of the town’s oldest buildings (1340); the Old Hospital, a neo-Gothic building from the 1880s; and the old Railway Station, also built in the 1800s.

Wait a second… all of these places seem exceptionally old, it’s just if you give a thought to how the Alemanni and Romans once stomped on through — the Middle Ages and later don’t seem that ancient.

Never to be one to suggest going to visit nothing but old buildings, it’s time to get outside to ride along the Donauradweg (Danube Bike Trail) — or something just like it.

I say to come to the Schwemmstein, a natural rock formation along the water’s edge.

And not being the type to turn down a good party, Munderkingen has quite a number of cultural events throughout the year. It seems like every month has a market going on — and it’s more than just buying stuff; it’s a place where you can make new friends, eat, drink, whatever.

Anyway, there is the Kaltermarkt in January; the Walburgismarkt in February; the Georgimarkt in April; the Johannismarkt in June; the Jakobimarkt in July, and both a Christmarkt in December — which isn’t the same as the Christmas Market.

Got that all straight? Good, I’m glad someone does. ;-)