Upper Bavaria’s Neuried couldn’t be any better located, right next to the city of Munich along its southwest border. However, that seems to have worked against it in this case.

No, there’s nothing wrong with Neuried; it’s just that there’s not a lot of stuff to do within it. I guess being this close to Munich, you could always just hop on the next bus or train to the big city.

I will say this though, because of Neuried’s geographical location in Upper Bavaria makes it quite easy to get to the Alps. You know, just in case you want to follow along scenic routes, go skiing, or something like that.

And, as this is Upper Bavaria, you know you’ll always have a good time just bicycling or hiking around Neuried and its environs. It’s life’s simple pleasures that give you most enjoyment, isn’t it? ;-)

It won’t take too long to bike your way around Neuried either; the town isn’t even ten square kilometers.

I guess I’m not being fair to Neuried. It does have some pretty 19th century farmhouses, located at Gautinger Straße 11, 15, and 26. Right up the street at Gautinger Straße 9 is the Catholic Church of St. Nicholas, a Gothic style church that was built in 1484.

Also within Neuried is a stone obelisk called the Preysing Monument, erected here in 1735. I would suggest visiting the town’s Rathaus (Town Hall) that was built around 1912, located at Planegger Straße 2.

It’s not all old building or centuries old monuments, there’s a brand new recreational center here. It’s got a football (a.k.a. soccer) field, a smaller version of a football field, and even a restaurant for when you’ve worked up a hearty appetite.

So, how do you get to this little slice of daily German life? Easy, take the A95 Munich-Garmish Autobahn; or the Metro Line Bus #3; or the S-Bahn 6 Railway; or on the 260, 261, 267, or 936 bus routes.

Sounds pretty simple to be able to enjoy a simple Upper Bavarian town, don’t you agree?

For those seeking the formerly independent towns of Hermannsburg and/or Unterlüß might be surprised to find out that they both vanished (sort of).

Ok, ok, I’m a shameless exaggerator — but I’m not entirely making this up. You see, as of January 1, 2015, Unterlüß and Hermannsburg have both lost their status and been merged into a new town called Südheide.

But, since there’s no Südheide on its own, I’ll let you in on both Hermannsburg and Unterlüß individually, one after the other.

So you found yourself in Hermannsburg asking, who the heck is Hermann? Well, I ain’t too sure who Hermann is either, but I do know his town is a pretty happenin’ place to be.

Oh, and if it sounds like they’re talking funny, it’s probably cause they’re speaking Low German around these parts.

But, I know deep down you didn’t come to Hermannsburg to discuss High or Low German, right? You came to see the Bonstorf Barrows.

The… what? (Oh, I think my eyes glazed over for a second there ;-)

You see, the Bonstorf Barrows are Bronze Age burial mounds (there are six of them) dating from around 1500 B.C. and not found until the 1970’s.

That sure was a long (and I mean L-O-N-G) time ago. Um, I mean the burial mounds, not the ’70’s. ;-)

Speaking of totally smashing finds, wait ’til you hear this. When the 800 year old church (now the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sts. Peter & Paul) burned down, a small 10th century Romanesque bronze crucifix was found; now proudly on display.

There are two more Evangelical Lutheran churches in Hermannsburg, but neither have the history like the former.

Oh, to go back to history, Hermannsburg holds an annual Knights Tournament on the last weekend of May. You’ve got jousting, archery tournaments, and more than 100 medieval vendors giving you the ultimate in medieval fare.

Sorry, the International Folklore Festival is every three years (in August), But, between them are annual Summer Festivals, Handball Tournaments, concerts, motorcross events, tennis, and lots ‘n lots of swimming at either the indoor or outdoor pool.

In-between the festivals and such, take a tour of the Heritage Museum. If you’ve been here before, come back since they’re always changing exhibits. Across the street is the Hermannsburg’s Community Center.

On it goes to Südheide’s other “district,” Unterlüß, which is the hometown of Albert König. Mr. König was a late 19th/early 20th century painter, and a museum is found in what was his former home. It’s also the venue for weddings, concerts, and other cultural events.

Mr. König’s house, by the way, is an excellent example of north German architecture, if you’re into that sort of thing.

So is shopping at Unterlüß’s Weekly Market, held on Thursday mornings from 8am to 1pm. Hey, you’re bound to get hungry — between all the hiking and horseback riding, you’re gonna need to eat, right?

As for the rest of Südheide, it’s a fantastic place to be outside — more specifically, the Lüßwald. This is a protected landscape, and it’s not unheard of to see everything from deer to wild boars, and grey wolves to black storks. It’s got all kinds f tall trees, and used to be a royal hunting ground.

The Lüßwald isn’t the only part of Südheide’s natural beauty. The new town lies along the Lüneburg Heath and the Südheide Nature Park. With lots of hiking and cycling trails, a comfy pair of sturdy shoes is a must. Listen closely, I bet even the plants and flowers around here speak Low German, too… ;-)

Between all the mergers, it’s good that Südheide has two Tourist Offices — one in Hermannsburg (Am Markt 3) and one in Unterlüß (Albert-König-Straße 10), they’re the experts to help you see and do everything around the place. That is, however, if politicians didn’t mess them all up once again. ;-)

Welcome to the Gateway to the Solling! Oh, no, I knew I didn’t write that right. Let me back up a minute…

Welcome to Hardegsen, a climatic health resort town considered to be the Gateway to the Solling. The Solling-Vogler Nature Park in Lower Saxony, that is.

Sure you can bicycle around the area (there are over 160km of mountain biking trails), but it’s really made for hiking. There’s an extensive network of hiking trails within the nature park, but also within the whole Weserbergland region, too. (Look for the gorgeous orchids that grow here).

One route around the Weserbergland follows a pilgrimage route in the footsteps of Cistercian monks. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Campers are always welcome around this area, with campsites and RV Park available for overnight stays. Sometimes you’d rather stay a little closer to town than rushing right off into the countryside.

And no, swimming in the municipal pool (open late-May to mid-September) doesn’t count as sightseeing; that’s pure fun!

Staying in town will give you a different kind of sightseeing around Hardegsen. You very well know a town like this is going to have a castle. Hardeg Castle isn’t what you think, though. Sure, it’s a 12th century medieval original, but now it’s used for parties and events instead of a home for the nobility.

Regular folks lived in those framework houses we love so much. Thankfully, there are quite a few around town, so keep an eye out.

In the village of Ertinghausen, its 140 residents all live around the ruins of Castle Ertinghausen (OK, not literally around the castle, but you get the point). Sure, they’re romantic enough — I wouldn’t mind seeing that out my back window everyday, would you?

And what are castles without medieval watchtowers to have protected them? Hardegsen has one, the Wachturm built in 1383.

Forty years later residents constructed the Church of St. Mauritius. Well, the widow of some Duke commissioned it in 1423 on top of an even older church. As pretty as the church is, everyone comes to see its organ. Better yet, come hear it.

When you’re done sightseeing, how about meeting up for a night around the campfire telling stories? Great, see ya then. :-)

If you’ve never lived by the sea (or seen one for that matter) it’s hard to explain to someone about how the rolling waves or the endless horizon can touch your very soul.

Fishermen and sailors know the love of the “Seven Seas” and salt air, but let me be the one to tell you — one day along the Baltic Sea is all it’ll take for you to feel it in yours as well.

Folks in the town of Heikendorf can understand, since their town sits right on the Baltic Coast in the very north of Germany, along the Kiel Fjord.

Heikendorf’s landmark pays homage to the sea, or I should say the lives lost to it, with a U-boat memorial for both World Wars.

Just a note: A swastika was put on the memorial in the late 1930’s which was removed after 1945, though parts of it can still be seen today since it didn’t fully come off.

Alongside the brick & bronze eagle U-boat Memorial are 115 bronze plaques with the names of the sailors who lost their lives. There’s also another beautiful sculpture along the coastline, created by artist Adolf Brütt.

Brütt wasn’t the only artist to find his way this far north. An entire artist colony was created; a perfect opportunity to start an Art Museum. The museum is known to have all sorts of special art exhibitions throughout the year — on top of what’s already here on permanent exhibit.

The Museum Garden is also a masterpiece with more than 200 species of plants & flowers. Wow, no wonder everyone seems to be so creatively inspired here. Maybe it’s the salt air!

As stimulating as the Baltic Sea is for painting, writing, or whatever; it’s a great place to kick your heels up & have some fun. Swimming or sailing the Baltic is a great way to enjoy yourself in Heikendorf.

There are also other outdoor activities that’ll keep you quite busy here. There’s everything from golf to tennis, horseback riding to hiking trails.

Not me though, I think I hear the call of the sea asking me to come back.

I have to say that when it came to the town of Hilzingen it reminded me of a class I took in college. Not that Hilzingen is a college town… it just triggered something in my head.

Before I sound like a babbling idiot, I’ll try to explain. Hilzingen is within an area known as the Hegau. Within the Hegau are quite a few castles, like Castle Riedheim, the ruins of Castle Gebsenstein, the Staufenburg, Castle Hilzingen, Castle Homboll — you get my point…

FYI, there’s a map available for sale that shows you where to find them all.

Well, with all these castles I thought about a college class that taught about all the -isms. You know, capitalism, socialism, and all that jazz. So, when it came to all those Burgs I thought about feudalism, where knights and serfs pledged their loyalty during medieval days.

Besides, what’s a little bit of feudalism without peasants? So, over at the Hilzinger Museum you can see exhibits highlighting Germany’s Peasants’ War (which happened in 1524/1525). This 16th century “war” isn’t the only thing you’ll learn about — other eras are mentioned, too. Ask about the 4th century Roman coins that were found.

Hilzingen is also a place that throws a great party — yet another college throwback. Every two years it’s the Hördöpfel, a festival that’s all about the potato.

Luckily, the Harvest Festival on the 1st weekend of October happens every year. Then two weeks later is the Patron Festival, a religious & Thanksgiving affair with art exhibitions and market.

In August there’s the Barn Party (third Sunday in August) with lots of music and drinking.

Speaking of drinking, Hilzingen also holds an annual Wine Festival in August and October (weather permitting, of course). Whoa, that also reminds me of my college days! ;-)

Oh, goodness gracious, mercy sakes alive I sure am tired! There was so much to do in the town of Hellenthal I had to go back more than twice. Wanna join me in on a virtual tour through Hellenthal? Great! Let’s go…

I don’t expect you to feel sorry for me one iota, especially not after what I have to tell you about my experience. ;-)

My first experience of Hellenthal began along the Belgian-German border in the Eifel Region (which is where you’ll find the place) daffodils waved hello in the breeze. If all of Hellenthal was this beautiful I was in for a treat.

Great, the Daffodil Festival was in full swing (bloom?). Every year around the end of April, the flower holds a place of honor celebrating the return of spring. Ah, any reason to have a beer — this is the kind of town. ;-)

I was sorry to leave the festival, but I had other things to see in Hellenthal… like its castles. One of its most beautiful one is the Wildburg. Take a guided tour to see this 12th century castle (dungeon included), its church, and 16th century gatehouse.

The other is Burg Reifferscheid. The oldest parts of the castle date to 1106; but it did have to be rebuilt a couple of times. On the third Sunday of September medieval enthusiasts come for the Castle Festival where you’ll find many wearing period costumes and jugglers and musicians entertaining the crowd. There are even events for the little ones.

I was already wiped out and I still hadn’t gotten to see the Arskrippana in Losheim, a lovely and Europe’s largest crib and Nativity exhibition, and the mine pit. I had to get myself a strong cup of coffee to keep me going to see the Tierpark Hellenthal.

The park is filled with reindeer, wild cats, raccoons, and for the kids there’s a petting zoo with rabbits, donkeys, goats, and even chickens. Maybe I should have saved the trip here for my winter trip since it’s open year-round.

Ah, winter. No brightly colored daffodils greeted me this time. No, it was the bright white of snow that covered the landscape. Good thing I brought my skis!

Skiing wasn’t the only thing I had to do. There was tobogganing and I rented a pair of ice skates. Notice I didn’t say I was any good at it, but if you’re going to play some hockey on the ice, NEVER put your head down. Ouch!

I was too worn out to try cross-country skiing (there are 3 x 20km trails). If you’re going to do it all, you better pace yourself. ;-)

Didn’t I tell you that you wouldn’t feel sorry for me that I had to come here twice? Oh, I could just imagine how you’d feel if I had come there three times. ;-)

Heek, who goes there? Wait a sec, isn’t it hark, who goes there?

Whatever! I was just trying to be cute with the town of Heek in the Münsterland region of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Don’t laugh at me, you’ll be doing the same thing when you visit Heek’s Nienborg Castle. OK, maybe just at the 14th century castle gatehouse. Then again (maybe) at the Keppelborg, which was built into the old castle wall in the 15th/16th century.

Castles aside, one of the coolest (awesome, fabulous, down right fantastic) buildings is the Long House, an elongated 2-storey house from the 16th century. All right, it’s not as grandiose as some manor houses and castles, but it’s still really nifty.

Another beautiful house is the Haus Horst. Too bad it’s private property… I would love to see inside its late 16th century walls. Wouldn’t you? Oh, good, glad I’m not the only one. ;-)

There are also two churches in Heek that really stand out. The Catholic Church in Heek proper, which was built in 1256 and the Catholic Church in Nienborg. The latter is filled with all sorts of religious objects, sculptures, and art from the 14th and 15th centuries.

All this sightseeing makes me hungry, which is why being here early on a Friday morning is a good idea. It’s where you can get fresh cheese, bread, and other little delicious delights.

There’s no way to confuse it with the Clemens Market on the third weekend of November with a stall of make-up, toys, and jewelry to name a few. Its obligatory Christmas Market is pretty fantastic, too. On the 1st weekend of Advent all sorts of shopping booths will tempt you with their wares.

The best though is the Oktoberfest (you know what that means… lots of drinking & dancing) which is held on the Saturday before German Unity Day. Too bad it’s held every other year — I’d do this every year if I could! ;-)

At least Heek’s Fair is a twice yearly event — once on the 4th Sunday of June and again on the 1st weekend of August. Nice, huh?

The only thing missing is a hot air balloon ride over the countryside. Oops, you CAN actually do that too, so its not missing, is it? Hark, who goes there? Just me… from a few hundred feet above your head. ;-)

It appears that we’ve been writing about Saxony-Anhalt a lot lately. That’s all right, though, I get to tell you all about places like newly founded town of Bördeland.

Within Bördeland’s seven historical districts, you’ll find all sorts of stuff that’ll get you excited about the town.

I think starting off at the Bierer Berg (in the village of Biere) with an observation tower (dedicated to statesman Otto von Bismarck) and a nearby zoo, is a good start. The tower is 83 meters high, so it’s a climb (but worth it).

There’s no observation tower in Großmühlingen; it has a Renaissance castle instead. It was a medieval one from 1195, but it was redone in a later century; and is now a wonderful venue for many concerts. This is also where you’ll eat deliciously at the September Plum Cake Festival.

I hate to interrupt your eat some plum cake, but can we go back to the medieval for a moment? Over at the St. Andrew’s Church you’ll find a penitent cross from the era.

St. Stephen’s Church is also a medieval original (12th century), though you’d probably not guess it from its present state as it was rebuilt in 1895. And the St. Pankratius Church in the village of Welsleben has been around since 1225.

So many churches, so little time, ain’t that the way?

Enough of the churches, it’s time for museums! I like the Traditionshof, a charming museum with exhibits on the life of farming; and in Eggersdorf there’s a Natural Resource Museum.

What other little gems does Bördeland have in store? Let me think for a minute…

Come to think of it, there’s a 17th century Pigeon Tower, the mid-18th century Church of St. John, and a romantic windmill in the village of Kleinmühlingen.

Sounds like a good time, right? However, I can’t get those plum cakes out of my mind. Great, now I’m hungry. Hmm, I wonder how quick I could make it to Bördeland? :-)

When you’ve got a hankerin’ for a medieval village, do I have one for you! Silly me, of course you’re looking for a medieval village like Blankenheim in the Eifel region. Isn’t everyone?

Honestly, Blankenheim only looks like a medieval village; it’s got all the modern day conveniences we couldn’t live without. However, I know that all its historical sites are the reason you’ve come.

Before you’re off to see the castle and museums, you gotta check out the source of the Ahr River. No, this water doesn’t come flowing right out of a mountain or anything like that. The river starts in the cellar of a timber-framed house!

Just a note, though… There are many, many framework houses in Blankenheim — but only one kicks off an entire river. How cool is that?

Also around the Ahr River is the Ahr-Radweg, a 90 mile bicycle route.

Blankenheim isn’t all fairytale houses; there are a few museums to boot. The Eifel Museum is totally dedicated to life here in the Eifel Hills with exhibits on everything from landscaping, to shoe making, spinning, and weaving.

While the Eifel Museum is about working in the area, the Carnival Museum is about partying in the area. Opened in 1990, the museum looks at the fun festivities of Carnival that take place right before the Lenten Christian holiday.

Here you can learn about the Blankenheimer Geister (Blankenheim Ghosts). They’re the “ghosts” carrying the torches on the Carnival parade on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday.

Another festival that’s great to be here for is the Lake Festival complete with fireworks on the first weekend of August.

Now are you ready to get medieval? Burg Blankenheim is a medieval castle that was built in 1115. One interesting piece of the castle’s history is a medieval aquaduct (known as the Tiergartentunnel) that supplied water to the Burg. It was built in 1468 yet wasn’t (re-)discovered until 1997.

Then you’ve got the Hirtentor, the only remaining gate of the city from the 15th century. Today it houses a natural history exhibit.

Sorry, I was a bit off, the Church of St. Mary Assumption isn’t from the Middle Ages, it was built in the early 16th century which is the start of the Renaissance.

Ah, who cares! Blankenheim will forever be a medieval village in my mind and I sure hope I’ve convinced you, too.

The town of Bad Lauchstädt is also known as Goethestadt. Its added name is because Johann Wolfgang Goethe is a revered man about town.

He wasn’t born here, nor did he die here. It’s because the place has the only theater from the days when Goethe lived here for a month in 1791. Goethe, along with Wagner (the famous composer) and Friedrich Schiller were all part of the popular artistic scene.

Today the Goethe-Theater holds summer programs for the budding (or seasoned) actor or actress, as well as putting on concerts, including music by Mozart.

Bad Lauchstädt seems like the right place to hold the annual Festival of the German Language. Once a year writers and actors hold all sorts of symposiums and read the works of Goethe, Schiller, and many other famous German authors.

This isn’t the only festival around here, either. With ten villages there seems like tons going on. Easter has its own special Market, and there are two Fountain Markets in August. The Garden Festival comes every June, and a month later there are two Summer Festivals.

I can’t leave out mentioning either the Autumn Market or Christmas Market. I don’t think you’ll find any Goethe bobble-heads, though. ;-)

To stretch your legs, take any number of walking paths out to the mid-19th century windmill (there’s always something romantic about them), or to the town’s cemetery where there are Soviet POW graves (in case you’re on a World War II history tour).

If you want a castle or something, you’ll find a few within 20km of Bad Lauchstädt — in towns like Querfurt, Mücheln, and Braunsbedra.

Walking and cycling can make you tired, so good thing this is a spa town. The Historical Spa is a great way to see how they did back in the day, as well as soak tired tootsies after sightseeing, or ponder the words of Goethe.