Great, here we go again, having to be multilingual in a typical German town. Oh sure German will get you around easy enough, so will English, but I really don’t know anything about speaking Sorbian. I do, however, know the town of Cunewalde is known as Kumwałd in Sorbian.

Writing it isn’t the same as speaking it, right? And while my Sorbian vocabulary is (very) limited, I do know it doesn’t matter what language you’re using — you’ll like it here.

Cunewalde is even on a wonderful scenic route, the Via Sacra to be exact. Its attraction for this charming route of religious art & architecture is its Village Church. You won’t find any church larger in the whole country, seating over 2,600 people.

Yikes, that’s about half of Cunewalde’s total population. ;-)

The church (as lovely as it is) isn’t Kumwałd’s only attraction. Come by the Tourist Office at Hauptstraße 97, they’ll tell you all about the Automobile & Technology Museum (located at Czornebohstraße 2), and they’ll most certainly direct you to Polenz Park.

Polenz Park, also known as Schlosspark Cunewalde, is the location of Wilhelm von Polenz’s memorial — a German writer from the late 19th century. As with many talented people, he died too young (the tender age of 42), but his works still live on.

Some amazing architecture also lives on here in town. Like those half-timbered houses? Yeah, me too, and you’ll find a bunch of them in the village of Klipphausen (one of Cunewalde’s 10), along with a mill that’s more than three centuries old.

The village of Halbau has some timber-framed houses too, along with some really old crosses. You can debate the meaning of the cross’s markings — no one to this very day can agree.

There’s no arguing that Cunewalde is pretty great, and its countryside is quite charming. Don’t believe me? Go up the lookout tower on the Czorneboh, then you’ll see what I mean.

Oh, I think I see the Czech Republic from up here. Well, no wonder, it’s only like one town away…

Oh, please don’t make me have to learn to speak Czech, too. ;-)

Up here near the Danish border in Schleswig-Holstein, you’ll find a typical (as if that’s truly possible) German town that’s made up of some smaller villages — but there is more to it than that. While the town itself was “created” in 2013 (combining old names into a new one), you’ll find all kinds of wondrous things, from prehistoric megalithic tombs to old churches.

Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s some amazing landscape to look at along the way. I don’t see anything wrong with hiking around the bogs, or streets framed by thatch roofed cottages. And there’s nothing wrong with doing a little fishing at places like the Südensee — an Ice Age lake that’s also fun for swimming.

Also here in the great northern German outdoors are those prehistoric graves I mentioned. When the Großensteingrab was found in the 19th century in the neighboring forest, experts found it to date back to around 3500/2800 B.C. And us modern-day folks think we’re the smart ones… These prehistoric guys knew a good thing when they saw it.

I know a gosh-darn pretty church when I see one. Over in the village of Sörup is the Church of St. Mary. Built in the 12th century, St. Mary’s is a granite stone construction, but don’t let the tower fool you into thinking it’s as old as the original — it’s really a Gothic design.

As old as Sörup is to have a proper medieval church, the place has been quite the contender in the Unser Dorf hat Zukunft, or Our Village has a Future, competition.

Over in the village of Schnarup-Thumby is another medieval church, a Romanesque one from the 13th century; it also has a pulpit that’s pushing some 400 years old. Imagine all the sermons it’s heard over the years…

It sure is a lot of history, wouldn’t you say? I’d also say there’s a good deal of history to be learned in places like the Village Museum over in Dammholm.

Mittelangeln isn’t a one museum town, just so you know. The Obstmuseum Pomarium Anglicum is all about delicious fruit. Of course fruit is worthy of its own museum, before you even ask.

Just as I think Mittelangeln is worthy enough for you to come visit. Hope to see ya here. ;-)

In the northwestern part of the Kraichgau lies the wine growing town of Gemmingen. It’s a relatively small town, just over nineteen square kilometers, comprised of just two towns — Gemmingen itself, and Stebbach (which was “added” in 1974).

What’s really nice about Gemmingen (and its surroundings) are its nearby castles. Its most famous castle in town is the 16th century Unterschloss Gemmingen. While the moat (and the original castle from the Middle Ages) might be gone, the castle park is still around — and the Schlosspark is the venue for all kinds of concerts and other festivities.

Burg Streichenberg is another of Gemmingen’s castles. The original castle was constructed way back in the 13th century, only to be partially destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War conflict in the 17th century. These days the castle is partially in ruins, and partially rebuilt — but it’s still a wonderful example of medieval architecture.

Now that I think about it, there is all kinds of wonderful architecture found all over the place. The Gemmingen Rathaus (Town Hall) is a pretty example of early 20th century design, while the half-timbered Rathaus in Stebbach comes from the mid-18th century. Another grand half-timbered design is the Rentamt, still beautiful after 300 years. And let’s not forget about old churches, like the Protestant Church from the 1840s, while we’re talking about this stuff.

Don’t think for one minute you’re stuck looking at nothing but old buildings around here. Nope, this is a town that can party with the best of them. So gear up for a good time at the Dorfplatzfest (end of May), the Frühlingsfest (March), the Waldfest (also in May), the Parkfest (July), a Kirchweih (September), an Erntedankfest (October), and a Christmas Market.

And for those of you who want more, a day at the outdoor swimming pool is a fantastic way to spend some time.

Not bad for a little town that started out as a simple Roman settlement, is it? As vast as the Roman Empire once stretched, I’d like to think the Romans who lived here loved it — just as much as I do.

Have you ever seen something that totally make you shake your head in wonder? Yes, I’m sure you have — and it’s here in the town of Nanlstadt that I myself shake mine.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing that I can see so far that’s totally bizarre — it’s just I don’t understand why the town’s Coat of Arms is the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.

If anyone knows, I’d sure love to hear why. Until that happens, I’ll do the talking (writing?) about all the wonderful things to see and do right here in the Freising District — said to be in one of the oldest hop growing regions on the planet.

Hops? Did I just say hops? That makes beer, but there’s no time for that now. Off to see the neo-Gothic church of St. Jacob (built 1875), then on to see the Church of St. Silvester. The latter church, built in the 15th century, is a sight to behold on Silvestertag (December 31st), when everyone brings their animals to church to be blessed.

Sightseeing around Nanlstadt’s old churches doesn’t end with St. Silvester’s. Oh no, I think you’ll love the huge onion dome at the Sacred Heart Church in the village of Baumgarten; just as I think you’ll enjoy the Romanesque/Gothic blended church of St. Leonhard.

Umm, wait a sec. Nandlstadt is home to the Church of St. John the Baptist, a proper medieval Romanesque church from the 1150s. Yup, that makes the church officially over 800 years old.

All right, with that out of the way it’s time for the hops part of town — so a bike ride around a part of the Hops Tour (180km) is a good idea. They harvest the hops in August, so get here before the crops are all gone.

Because hops are one of the few ingredients allowed in the beer making process, thanks to Germany’s strict Purity Laws, you can’t ask for a better place than an Upper Bavarian festival to enjoy the fruits of the farmer’s labor. Nandlstadt hosts an annual Village Festival on the second weekend of June, with the Johannismarkt on June 24th. The Hops Festival is always on the first weekend of October, running from a Thursday to Sunday.

I’m pretty sure I’ve skipped over a whole bunch, so let’s go back for a minute. Deep breath… Nandlstadt hosts a Carnival parade on Shrove Tuesday, with a Fastenmarkt on the first Sunday of Lent. Then you’ve got an Arts & Crafts Market held the weekend before first Advent — which isn’t to be confused with the Christmas Market on the second weekend of Advent.

Holy cow, I got so excited about Nandlstadt’s festivals that I left out talking about its neo-Baroque Rathaus (Town Hall), and the Church of St. Martin — that’s neo-Gothic in design.

I’m gonna blame my confusion on the fact that I’m still looking for an answer to my original question — and the hops in the beer. ;-)

Had I known about all the wonderful sporty things to do in the town of Malschwitz, I’d have never have gone and worked out this morning. Whew, it was a double whammy — and might explain why I’m so gosh darn tired on a quiet Sunday evening.

You’ll find Malschwitz in the Upper Lusatian Heath, just six kilometers from Bautzen. And it’s here at the Bautzen Reservoir that I managed to get in a double workout.

There’s a pleasant little beach, but also miniature golfing, rowing, and windsurfing. You can camp out around the reservoir, a nice place to spend the night. The Olbsee has two camp sites, and it’s a great lake for swimming and sailing.

It took a while to rest up, as I wanted to venture around the rest of (OK, parts of) Malschwitz’s twenty-three districts. Lieske, once belonging to Prussia, had some Bronze Age grave found. I wanted to see if I could find anymore.

Sadly I didn’t, but I found quiet streets and what used to be an old castle in the village of Baruth. And it was dairy cows and a castle in the village of Kleinbautzen.

Niedergurig was the real treat, that’s for sure. This was a strategic place during the Battle of Bautzen in 1813, and it’s where you can see the ruins of the Old French Bridge.

It’s also got some fish ponds, and an 800 year old tree — known as the Rieseneiche von Niedergurig. This tree is massive, with a trunk measuring 8.87m in circumference and standing 22-meters tall. There’s even a ringwall from the town’s old Slavic settlement days.

Just thinking about all that sightseeing and swimming makes me hungry — and thankfully Malschwitz has a variety of restaurants to choose from. Hmm, was I going to go with traditional German cuisine? Spanish? Pizza? Ahh, let’s go with a little of everything.

Maybe it was a good idea to get that double workout in then, huh? ;-)

Between the Schwarzen and Weißen Laber Rivers are the nineteen districts of Seubersdorf in the Oberpfalz. Now that we all know where we are, it’s time to hear about what’s to experience. Good idea, right?

Of course it is, so let’s start at Ruine Adelburg. The 12th century castle ruin is easy enough to reach, and it’s quite near a few other castles — you know, in case you wanna go hiking a bit further.

Nah, stick around here for a while longer — there are quite a number of old churches to see. The Wallfahrtskirche Maria Hilf in Batzhausen is just the place to be if you’re into 18th century Rococo art. The Jacobikirche is also from the 18th century, while the Church of Sts. Peter & Paul (in the village of Waldkirchen) is a mid-17th century creation.

The church visits aren’t over, by the way. Let’s see… there’s the Church of St. Nicholas (built 1717) in Eichenhofen, and the Chapel of St. Mary (built 1842) in Freihausen. And it wouldn’t be polite to leave out a mention of the Church of Sts. Mary & Catherine. The church you see today is from the early 18th century, but it’s really a few centuries older than that. Doesn’t matter, its onion dome is what stuck out in my mind.

Funny, the Church of St. Boniface kind of stayed with me, too. Maybe ’cause it’s a proper Gothic church — even if it underwent a 19th century renovation.

As with most Bavarian towns, they’re filled with all these magnificent churches, but that’s not the only reason to come. The federal state is full of wonderful festivals — and Seubersdorf is no exception. It’s your choice if you want to come for the Fischerfest (in June), the Pfarrfest (in August), the September Wine Festival, Starkbierfest (March), or the Christmas Market in late November/early December.

Ugh, can’t believe I forgot to add in the Kirchweih celebrations, too. Perhaps I was distracted by the cycling and hiking trails that were calling my name. In English the trails have names like the “Black Lord” and “Robber Baron”; but don’t be afraid, these trails aren’t that long — just 4.3km to 13.1km.

Between the amazing architecture, fun festivals, and terrific trails — the town of Seubersdorf is sure to become one of your favorite places. I know it’s one of mine.

Out of thirty-one square kilometers, more than a quarter of the town of Modautal is totally forested. As a German who truly appreciates “green areas” (as most Germans do), I’m excited to get to know the place a bit better.

You’ll find this “green” town in the Odenwald, just fifteen kilometers south of Darmstadt. Amazing how you’ll find a forest such a short distance from a major bustling city, huh? It’s no wonder the village of Asbach (one of 10) was a winner of the Unser Dorf soll schöner werden, or Our Village Is Beautiful contest.

Another way to appreciate the serene beauty of Modautal is from atop the Kaiserturm; an observation tower that can boast some of the best views of the Odenwald and Upper Rhine Valley.

Some of the other ways to experience the natural side of Modautal is along one of its many marked hiking routes. The Modautalweg follows along the Modau River, and there’s the Cider Route which are routes that detail all the fruit growing areas around town.

No visit to Modautal should ever be without seeing the Felsenmeerdrachen, known as the Rock Goblins. Take a guided tour to learn more about these “sea rocks” — informative about the region’s geological changes.

Modautal even has a Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum), which also boasts one of the largest water wheels in the entire Odenwald. I don’t know if that’s really true (I never measured them all), but I do appreciate a good museum. There’s also the Geo Nature Park to visit, a nature reserve area with a great number of different plants and animals.

What else there are a variety of here in Hesse are festivals. The Rhine in Flames is a really popular one, but it’s in the colder months that the Laternenfest, the Glühweinfest, and Christmas Market take place.

That Glühweinfest was enough for me to forget that the castle in the village of Ernsthofen doesn’t allow visitors. Oh well, it was off to see the pretty Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) and the village’s half-timbered houses instead. And then it was off to Brandau to see its War Cemetery, its old mill, and clock tower. Last stop was one of Modautal’s BBQ areas.

Nothing wrong with ending a fine day with a tasty beer and good food in a fantastic town. Thanks, Modautal. :-)

Today I’m quite enthused to be in Niederwiesa, right at the foot of the Ore Mountains, and along the Zschopau River.

Now I realize that might not mean much to you out there reading this, but if you find yourself in the city of Chemnitz — come on over, it’s only right next door. And trust me, it’ll be well worth it.

I say that because it’s easy enough to get excited about places like Schloss Lichtenwalde. The old manor house is striking, with the smallest attention to detail. Here’s your chance to see what it was like to live with the finest furnishings of its day in its historical rooms like the Chinese Room and Red Salon. There’s even a Baroque garden, and a chapel.

Grand as you’ll find Lichtenwalde Castle, or even how charming you’ll find the pretty half-timbered mill in the village of Braunsdorf, neither of them are Niederwiesa’s “landmark”; that title belongs to the town’s water tower.

Never one to be satisfied with just seeing a grand castle or a half-timbered construction (or feats of engineering like the water tower), it was good to find out about all the marked hiking trails. This is the Zschopautal region, so it seems perfectly normal to have a trail known as the Zschopautalweg (9km). There’s also paths with names like the Bierstraßenweg (4.5km), the Rund um den Mühlberg (4.5km), and the Teufelsschlucht (3km). Of course the bicycle routes are a bit longer, but you’ll be too busy paying attention to all the greenery and protected bird species to notice you’ve traveled some 22km.

My only lament was not being here for one of Niederwiesa’s many festivals. Drats, I’d have loved to have come for its Oktoberfest (and Farmer’s Market) in October, or its August Park Festival. No, September would have been better — there’s an Herbstfest, an Arts & Crafts Market (called Kunst- und Handwerkermarkt), and a Kirmes going on that month.

Why, oh why, did this have to be a warm July weekend? Oh well, I was gonna have to take solace with a visit to the Weaving Museum instead. After that, on to the Tourist Information Center (August-Bebel-Straße 6), where the nice folks can give advice on other upcoming events and whatnot. You might even learn about Arthur Emmerlich, a locally-born German resistance fighter who was executed by the Nazis in 1942.

Wait, I just told you about that — I’m pretty sure they’ve got plenty more information than I do though. Such is life.

Well, it’s off to the next town, and I’d gander to say I’ll find something wonderful there, too.

The lovely town of Warthausen couldn’t be found in any prettier place than Upper Swabia, just between Ulm and Ravensburg.

Its countryside isn’t its only “attraction,” it’s a charming place where you’ll find a castle once owned by Barbarossa; a museum dedicated to the button; and fun cultural events throughout the year.

Because I mentioned the great outdoors first — let’s start there. I’d say one of the best places to start your trek around the great outdoors would be the Öchsle Bike Path. What’s great about the bike trail is, the “sightseeing” train (with a cool looking locomotive) that runs along side the bike trail. Well, that is if you’re here between May and October.

What else did I say there was? Oh yes, the Button Museum. Maybe I should call it by its German name: the Knopfmuseum. Either way, the museum is all about the important role of buttons, some of which that have survived from as far back as the Bronze Age.

While not that old, the 16th century Warthausen Castle is still historical. The original medieval castle was once owned by Barbarossa, but that one burned down in the late 15th century. The one before you today is a grand example of 16th century Renaissance construction.

Another of Warthausen’s pretty architecture is the Pfarrkirche, located at Heggelinstraße 3. It’s unique clock tower steeple is what’s worth seeing — in my not so humble opinion. ;-)

There was a brewery around here for more than 335 years, but it closed in 1970. Oh well, you’ll just have to get a beer from one of the local eateries instead. But, I know there’s plenty flowing at any one of Warthausen’s many cultural events. Ok, maybe not at the Autumn Concerts (go out for one afterwards) — but you’ve got plenty of opportunity at the Gartenfest (August); Summer Festival (also August); the Christbaummarkt (November); and the Christmas Market in December.

I told you Warthausen was pretty — as well as being a great place to experience the outstanding South German countryside. Gotta go, or I’ll miss my train… ;-)

The kid in me just loves theme parks (amusement parks, whatever you wanna call them), so it was really exciting to find one here in the town of Heroldsbach — located just 6km from Forchheim.

Now that’s not to say the park is the only thing you’ll be doing here, but it certainly makes a good start.

If you’re like me, the Erlebnispark, or Theme Park, Schloß Thurn is the place to start. What makes this park truly unique, it’s also a stunning Baroque castle. The original moated castle is much older (built 1422), but the one you see before you today is a pretty yellow number from the 1730s. Come walk around the castle gardens, and don’t forget about the castle’s chapel.

The castle might come from the first few decades of the 18th century, but Heroldsbach is really much older. In fact, to celebrate the town’s 1000th birthday, the town “opened” a 27-station Kulturwanderweg. Of course there are other well-marked hiking trails throughout the region, if you’re so inclined.

Oh, c’mon, there’s no complaining about walking around anywhere in Upper Franconia. OK? ;-)

Now that I think about it, I’ve never heard anyone complain about a fine Franconian festival either. Lucky for us there are a number of them hosted by this very town. I think I’ve counted like three Kirchweih celebrations (with one in July, two in August). And it wouldn’t be right not to give mention to the Martinimarkt in November, or all the Advent concerts throughout the holiday season.

Advent is a religious season, so it seems only right to mention Heroldsbach’s pretty churches at this point. I’m a sucker for a medieval church, which might be why the Church of St. Georg (in the village of Poppendorf) is my favorite. What’s not to love about a Romanesque church with a “golden” altar?

All right, you might like the neo-Baroque Church of St. Lawrence better, or the very simple looking Church of St. Vitus in Oesdorf. It’s all personal preference, isn’t it? And I prefer to hit up that amusement park again — see ya later! ;-)