The German Gemstone Route, or the Deutsche Edelsteinstraße as it’s called in German, is a scenic route that circles in and around Idar-Oberstein and the northern half of the Birkenfeld District in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Now I’m sure that the song “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” will somehow wind up playing over and over in your head, won’t it?

While you take the chance and change a song’s title to meet your current trip (as I just did in the headline), you can also choose whether you want to follow the Gemstone’s Inner or Outer Ring. Oh, what about doing them both… The Gemstone Route is only about 70km long, then you won’t miss anything that way, either.

German Gemstone Route — Inner Ring

Let me first guide you through the Inner Ring with the starting point in Idar-Oberstein, which is the central hub of the gemstone and jewel industry on the Edelsteinstraße and beyond.

Besides many artisans, you have the chance to get your hands dirty and see for yourself a real-life jewel mine. OK, you’re not going to find diamonds (or else I’d have to change the headline of this page!), as it was once mined for agate; and has been around for 240 million years (oops!).

That’s not even the coolest part of Idar-Oberstein, the Jewel Museum is. More than ten thousand pieces of raw and polished stones sit on display. You’ll even find some meteorites among them!

On second thought, that’s not fair to the Church in the Rocks in town. I can’t even begin to imagine how they built this magnificent church right into the walls of the cliffside.

Nevermind, the Felsenkirche is the second coolest thing in town.

Heading out of Idar-Oberstein, you’ll pass through Katzenloch, which translates to Cat Hole, a small village with only 75 cats… err, residents! Its point of interest is a waterfall (with hidden gems?). Plus, due to the healthy air around here it attracts tourists since the mid-20th century.

At the next stop, Kempfeld, is a cute Jewel Garden. Just follow the signs and you can touch over 100 stones in their raw state. Oh, and it’s free!

You can also see the ruins of Burg Wildenburg while you’re here. While I might be a sucker for old castles, Burg Wildenburg surpasses my expectations. It’s not just your average medieval castle… it was built on the remnants of a Celtic Settlement.

If you’re at the castle look for the remainder of the wall that stretches right into the Wildenburger Kopf, a mountain range that’s within a National Park. From here, you can either take the kids to the game park (Tierpark) in the Wildenburg National Park OR you can follow the Wildenburg Historical Path, leading off through more than two millennia of German history.

The next opportunity to lead off the route is at Asbacher Hütte, another cute village with only 149 residents. Make sure to pay a visit to the historical Edelstein-Wasserschleiferei Biehl, a Gemstone Water Grinding Machine from 1880 that’s still in operation!

Mörschied, the next stop, offers free summer plays at its outdoor theater. But its true highlight is the Mörschieder Burr and the Rock Massif with Quartzite stones.

We advance to Herborn that’s perfect for hiking since this village is almost half-wooded and has a few small gemstone factories. Does it even get better than this?

Yes, it does. You got a 2km trail to hike to come to Veitsrodt. Keep a lookout for the stony Goldenes Buch der Deutschen Edelsteinstraße (Golden Book of the German Gemstone Route) with signatures embedded in a bunch of rocks, signed by many famous folks.

Don’t rush through Vollmersbach. Sit and catch a game of tennis or handball AND pay your regards to its Andreasbrunnen (Andreas Fountain) where it was traditional to leave “thank you” trinkets. Afterwards, spend some time exploring the numerous engraving works that are scattered throughout.

Afterwards, you’re right back where you started in Idar-Oberstein, ending your trip on the Inner Ring.

German Gemstone Route — Outer Ring

Now that you’re back in Idar-Oberstein, are you ready for the Outer Ring of the German Gemstone Route?

If yes, then pass through hilly Rötzweiler-Nochenthal and head right over to Mackenrodt and its Streuobstwiesenpfad (Orchard Trail). When you’re done eating some of the local produce, continue your tour to Hettenrodt with its commitment to excellence in terms of village development and gemstone production.

After experiencing Hettenrodt’s exemplary hospitality, you’re on your way to Kirschweiler to play a round (or two) of golf and see the Edelsteinbrunnen or Jewel Well in the center of the village.

Passing through beautiful Katzenloch once again, head to Allenbach’s formidable castle and the ancient Mill from 1450 before advancing to the geological park in Sensweiler (called Geopark Krahloch).

After Langweiler (hiking), Bruchweiler (health resort), Schauren (gemstone works), and Asbacher Hütte (again), you’ll reach the next major stop, Herrstein, on the route for historical sightseeing with many half-timbered buildings, two medieval towers (Uhrturm and Glockenturm), and the Heimatkundliches Museum (Local History Museum) that also shows exhibits of the local gemstone works (of course!).

Then, Niederwörresbach invites to check out its numerous gemstone engravers.

Lastly, in Fischbach one cannot only go fishing, but its other highlights include the Kupferbergwerk (Copper Mine) that was established in 1472, and the Bergbaurundweg, a 3.5km long trail that provides an insight into the German mining industry.

Leaving Fischbach, you’ll be right back in Idar-Oberstein where you left off twice.

Final Thoughts

Now it’s time to spend some quality time shopping at all the stores selling jewelry and gemstones that were produced along those two paths of the German Gemstone Route, don’t you agree? Not for nothing did I slightly change the song to “Gemstones Are A Girl’s Best Friend”! ;-)

Sure, we have big cities with hundreds of years of history and more museums than you could ever visit during one stay. And if all you ever did was stay in these big cosmopolitan cities you’d be missing out on the real Germany: Places like the Westphalian town of Tecklenburg; filled with little lanes framed by ivy covered cottages.

But don’t sweat… Tecklenburg also has hundreds of years of history; and nowhere is this more evident than at Burg Tecklenburg.

As much as this is your average 13th century castle, this one is special because it was built not by some baron looking to show that his “burg is bigger than your burg” (wink-wink). Tecklenburg Castle was built by a woman — the Countess Anna von Tecklenburg-Schwerin to be more precise.

Guided tours of the castle are available and a good idea if you want to see the castle’s underground passages. Consider yourself lucky if you’re able to enjoy a concert at Burg Tecklenburg’s outdoor theater while you’re here.

Other guided tours of Tecklenburg are available (mostly from April to October) with themes such as Night Watchman tours, Robber Baron tours, Ghost Tours, and one that takes the “Witches Path” filled with all sorts of myths, legends, and caves.

One of the best tours doesn’t include witches or goblins but alpacas. Alpacas? Yes, the furry animals that look like llamas. Take a ride on one, it’ll be loads of fun!

Sightseeing in Tecklenburg doesn’t end there. As you’re walking along many framework houses (dating from the 16th-18th centuries) there’s the Doll Museum, the Culture House, the Monastery Church, and Wasserschloss Marck (ohh, a moat!).

Tecklenburg really is a spectacular town, no wonder pilgrims walking on the St. James Way really wanted to come through here on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. But, this place is so special… I’d walk all the way from Siberia just to see it in its own right. ;-)

How much natural scenic beauty can you cram into 17.92 square kilometers? Give up? Well, quite a bit if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the Hessian town of Mainhausen.

Nestled between the Spessart and the Odenwald, Mainhausen has not one, but two bathing lakes for some great recreational fun.

Too tired to schlep around and find a hotel? No problem, since there is a clean (and friendly) camping facility lakeside. Don’t worry about not having any camping equipment, this place rents the stuff!

If just grilling some BBQ campside is a bit too boring for you (but think of the peace & quiet!), then perhaps renting a bicycle and trotting of around the many cycle paths that spoke off is a good idea (a map can be purchased at the Rathaus for about six Euro). Don’t ride too fast though, you’ll miss out on many of the rare plants and other indigenous creatures that call this nature reserve area home.

One of the most popular routes through Mainhausen is the Apfelweinroute. This is a 6-loop route that meets up with a few towns on the German Framework Road between the Main and the Taunus riding past orchards, wineries, and museums. Again, don’t ride too fast, you might miss out on something good.

Riding a bike is not your cup of tea? Not to worry, since there are plenty of easy walking paths and more challenging hiking trails to conquer!

If you want something at a slower pace, Mainhausen’s weekly market is just the place for you. Take your time looking around the stalls of flowers, fruits, veggies, cheeses, and wines. This is a good chance to buy some of that beloved local Apfelwein (Apple Wine) if you haven’t ridden along that Apfelweinroute yet.

Then again, this is Hesse so you’re bound to find a good Riesling or Spätburgunder.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’d like a glass of one of them before I head off to another German town. Stick around, I’ll keep you posted as I find more wine-loving, fun having towns to write about! :-)

I know that many pages here on MyGermanCity.com talk a lot about shopping, sightseeing, history, culture, and everything in-between. But, there’s a demographic of you readers that we don’t talk much about. Who?

Golfers.

Yes, I said Golfers. So, in honor of you plaid pant, polo shirt, club carrying crowd Markt Indersdorf is for you!

Wait, though! If you’re not the golfing sort don’t click off to some other Upper Bavarian town just yet. Markt Indersdorf’s got you covered, too.

Now, whether you hit the links before or after you’ve done your sightseeing, it doesn’t matter too much. But, with a par-72 course that’s rated one of the top four in Germany you might want to get to it straight away (Golfpark Gut Häusern, that is)! Of course, if you don’t have time to do the entire 18-holes, there’s a shorter 6-hole course, too.

Markt Indersdorf’s course also has a Golf Academy and a Golf School for beginners. I can’t think of a more beautiful location than Upper Bavaria to learn how to whack the hell out of a ball. ;-)

I also can’t think of a better backdrop to enjoy a few festivals, either. About six weeks after Easter is Markt Indersdorf’s annual Folk Festival, the Autumn Festival in mid-September, and the the Market Festival on the 1st Sunday in August. This festival actually kicks off the day before with the Indersdorfer Run. It doesn’t matter if you actually run the race or just cheer from the sidelines — it’s great fun for the whole family.

Last but not least, before you go running off to one of the town’s beer gardens, go see the Kloster Indersdorf. This 12th century monastery has had quite a few uses throughout its 800-year history. It once housed displaced Jewish persons after the 2nd World War and is now a school. It’s church is so grand that it was dedicated to the Maria Ascension AND the saints Peter & Paul.

Though I don’t think they’ll let you play golf on the grounds, you wouldn’t want to break those gorgeous stained glass windows, would you? ;-)

I love Saxony-Anhalt because of places like Mücheln (Geiseltal), which is only about 50km west of Leipzig.

In Mücheln the place you want to be is on the Marktplatz. This is where you’ll find a splendid example of Renaissance architecture in the form of the Rathaus, which was built in 1571. Not only does the Town Hall have its own dungeon, it’s also where you’ll find the town’s Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum). Although, it’s only open on Tuesdays from 10am-noon and 1pm to 4pm.

Most other visitors like to see the Church of St. James, too. Fitting since the town lies on the Jakobsweg; and there’s a St. Jakobus Festival on the 1st weekend of July.

Another must-see church is the Luther Church (also known as the Schlosskirche) at the Wasserschloss St. Ulrich. This Baroque church is close to late 15th century water castle, although there’s been castle here since the 12th century. The Wasserschloss also has a magnificent Baroque Garden to see, too.

Save the St. Michaelkirche for last though. This church has remained relatively untouched since it was built. How nice is that — sightseeing does get much purer!

Also in Mücheln is a 19th century windmill (so romantic, yes), a 16-meter high watchtower (only open on Whit Sunday), and a Stone Age grave hill that dates back to around 3,000 B.C. You might be thinking, so what? An old grave, big deal! This grave is (was?) pretty remarkable — the lady was buried with amber, animal teeth, and copper goods. She was a very big deal!

Another big deal to see is the Geiselquelle. Situated right at St. Vitus Mountain, this spring water source was once really popular with water mills. They might be gone today, but there are quite a bit of marked foot paths that’ll lead you around.

Yet another big deal is Saxony-Anhalt’s largest artificial lake, the Geiseltalsee, which you’ll see from almost everywhere as it’s seemingly larger than Mücheln itself.

Just remember to come back into town for the Kartoffelmarkt or Potato Market (very early October) or the Homeland Festival at the end of August.

Now do you see why I love Saxony-Anhalt? It’s because of places like Mücheln! Don’t you agree?

If you ask people “where in Germany would you like to visit” the most obvious answers would be Berlin or Munich. Rarely someone ever says, “I want to go to Meuselwitz.” Which is too bad, because this Thuringian town should be called the “festival town” of Germany!

It’s totally amazing how many festivals this cute place manages to throw every year; and it certainly doesn’t let the cooler stop it, either. In fact, one of the best festivals, Carnival, taking place deadsmack in the middle of winter.

Springtime brings on the Spring Festival (mid April), the May Day, and there always seems to be some sort of street party going on. Early August is the Summer Festival and towards the end of September is the Fischerfest.

October brings on the Wine Festival — a shy different from the beer tents of Meuselwitz’s Oktoberfest (which is really held in October)! Add in the November Autumn Concerts and you’ve got yourself a year’s full of fun! Don’t ya think?

Meuselwitz’s festivals aren’t the only reason to come, though, as there is some wonderful sightseeing to be done, too. No, you won’t find a castle here… the only remainder of it is the Orangerie which was built in 1724. In case you didn’t know, an Orangerie was a garden used for citrus trees or exotic plants. Think of it as greenhouse for plants that wouldn’t survive Germany’s elements. However, now it’s a restaurant and cafe.

There’s also a Heritage Museum on Neugasse 1-3, a half-timbered building that was once a former weavers cottage built in 1700.

Afterwards, a ride on the “mining train” is a good idea. These coal carrying cars once went as far as Altenburg — now they’re used to show tourists all about the coal mining industry.

The last place in Meuselwitz is a pretty awesome one. The Hainbersee, feed by an underground spring, is the best place to go fishing or birdwatching. No, scratch that, it’s the best place to take a dip. I’ll meet you there with the beer, if you bring the wine! ;-)

Oh yeah, it’s happening again. Those little tingles that somehow manage to creep up my spine everytime I get to the Swabian Alb. What town was it that did it to me this time? Well, none other than the long named Dettingen an der Erms (FYI, that’s just to distinguish it from the other two Dettingens).

Not only is Dettingen within the Alb itself, it lies within a 40km area known as the Biosphärengebiet Schwäbische Alb, which is a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Within the biosphere you’ll find everything from falcons to buzzards, orchids to grasslands.

If you’re the type of person whose idea is that nature is best kept to the Discovery Channel, then maybe the Biosphärengebiet Schwäbische Alb isn’t for you. But, you’ve come this far; so how about giving it a go? ;-)

All right, if I haven’t talked you into doing that, then perhaps visiting any one of Dettingen’s City Parks instead. I think that’s a good compromise between city life and the big, bad, wilderness. Yes, I’m just exaggerating — the biosphere isn’t bad at all. ;-)

And if youre idea of a good time is shopping, then you’ve found the right place. No, there aren’t any super huge Kaufhof chain type stores. This is where you’ll find little goodies and trinkets at the Handicraft Market (1st weekend of October) and the Christmas Market on the 1st weekend of Advent.

At the Christmas Market between shopping at the little stalls, try some mulled wine to warm you up. Have some other types of wine (or beer, or whatever your poison) at the Kirschenfest (Cherry Festival), the Town Fair (one in June, one in August), or the Pasture Fest.

Do you like museums? If yes, you’ll like the one here, it’s a look into rural life of blacksmiths and farmers.

The only thing left is stopping to see the Rathaus Schlössle and the Dettingen Evangelical Church.

Oh, it’s time to leave Dettingen an der Erms — too bad that tingly feeling is leaving. Stick around here at MyGermanCity.com and take a peek at some of the other towns of the majestic Swabian Alb!

Goodness gracious, sometimes I think Germany’s got some of the longest named towns on the planet. Dissen am Teutoburger Wald in Lower Saxony might not easily roll off the tongue, but it sure is a place that I wouldn’t mind spending a day or two.

Oh, make that more since Dissen lies (as its name implies) within the Teutoburg Forest. So, that means that you could spend a day just hiking and Nordic Walking alone.

But, as I’ve said before, Lower Saxony is best enjoyed on a bicycle, so you’ve got that option as well.

Whewww, with all that wandering about in the forest out of the way, are you ready to stroll through Dissen’s historic City Center? Good, then let’s go.

Don’t you just love those quaint timber framed houses that we grew up seeing in fairytale books? Yeah, me too, and Dissen has quite a few of them so keep the camera handy. I’m kinda fond of the little historic farmhouse in the village of Erpen, actually.

There are also a few churches, which are usually great for finding beautiful, priceless works of art and stained glass. Often, they’re the venue for many concerts.

Take St. Mauritius Church (Evangelical Lutheran denomination) for example. Not only is it a gorgeous piece of architecture, it’s also where you’ll hear gospel singers at its services. And come Christmas as the church is known for its Christmas concerts.

Dissen’s St. George Church might not be famous for its Christmas Concerts, but the original church was here during the 8th century days of Charlemagne. That’s got to count for something, right?

Now I know that not all of you out there are that much into history (me too, oops!) so how about some shopping? Come shop at the weekly market which is held on Fridays from 2pm-6pm (that’s good for you folks who AREN’T early risers, me included!).

I’m always in favor of finding little crafts and souvenirs that’ll make everyone back home “pea green with envy” (thank you, Scarlett O’Hara) and you might be surprised at what you’ll find.

Then again, if you tell the folks back home that you’re coming to a place like Dissen am Teutoburger Wald, they WILL be “pea green with envy.” ;-)

I don’t know what the coolest part of Dörverden is.

Oh, this is no easy question and the answer isn’t so “cut and dry.” Yes, this is Lower Saxony and touring it by bike is a good idea — but, that doesn’t answer the question of what is the coolest part. Maybe we can agree on that together, yes?

One thing is for sure, Dörverden loves to grow asparagus. Despite being known as the “king’s vegetable,” these little green & white stalks often don’t get the respect they deserve — that is, unless you’re here.

Dörverden also has two charming historic windmills: The Windmühle Westen or Windmill West (the original one was put here in 1148, burned down & rebuilt in 1856/1857, and refurbished in 1994). And the Windmühle Dörverden at An der Mühle 11.

Don’t confuse them with the Windpark Stedebergen, though… the modern “windmills” that produce renewable energy. I just love “green” towns, don’t you? :-)

Afterwards, a stroll along the Melkerinnen-Denkmal (Milkmaid Sculptures) is a nice quiet treat — commemorating local milkmaids who used to cross the Weser river every day in order to feed their cows on the other side. You can find the “monument” at Grosse Strasse/Königstrasse.

Then, might I suggest a visit to the Rittergut Donnerhorst as well as the Kulturgut Ehmken Hoff — the former being a manor house with a nice park (great vistas!); the latter being the central place for cultural activities (concerts, seminars, exhibitions, etc.)?

Still haven’t found the coolest part of Dörverden yet? Yeah, these places are pretty awesome, but I don’t think we’ve hit the best part of town yet.

Could it be church of St. Cosmae et Damiani, originally a gorgeous medieval Romanesque church? The church really is something special and historians might argue that this is the highlight of Dörverden.

Did I mention the Bronze Age grave hills? No? 3,500 years old, they are in what’s called the Grabhügel, which are 1 – 2 meters high grave hills in the so-called Diensthoper Holz area in the Diensthop district (south of Dörverden proper). It’s a bit tricky to find, so they’ve created a replica of these grave hills in Diensthop, where you can take a peek at how these might have looked like once.

Next, how about the Iron Museum? No? Oh, wait! I don’t mean Iron as in the Iron Age — I mean iron as in a device to rid shirts & slacks of wrinkles. The museum, called Bügeleisen-Sammlung, is filled with all sorts of irons throughout the years (the oldest being from 1735), long before there were automatic shut-off models. You can find it at Auf dem Loh 21a.

I STILL don’t think we’ve found the coolest part of Dörverden yet. Shopaholics might think it’s the Toy Market or Christmas Market (end of November) that is the most awesome part. Okay, shopping for little crafts and drinking mulled wine is always great, but not the best part of Dörverden,

My vote for the best (awesome, coolest, fantastic) part of Dörverden is its Wolf Center. Wolf Center, for real? Yes. Located at Kasernenstrasse 2, you’ll fall in love with (and learn plenty about) these magnificent creatures on the 50-minute guided tour through the enclosure.

Don’t you agree? Yeah, I thought so! ;-)

On the southern edge of the Franconian Forest and less than 40km to the Czech Republic border is the Upper Franconian town of Helmbrechts (watch the spelling!).

Helmbrechts is a town that’s approaching its 800th birthday. Despite being pretty gosh-darn old, Helmbrechts is pretty gosh-darn cool (fun, picturesque, a shopping haven, just fill in a word that fits your favorite activity). Oh, what activities are those?

Well, you got your shopping to do. Whether you do it at the Weekly Market or the factory outlet stores it’s totally up to you.

For museums, you’ve got quite a bit. In the town itself there’s a Textile Museum (this part of Upper Franconia is known for textile making); and in the Hof District (where Helmbrechts is located) you’ve got a Fire Museum, Botanical Garden, and Brewery Museum (like you didn’t expect that).

If you don’t mind traveling a bit, Plassenburg Castle (in Kulmbach) is only about 25km away. In this 12th century castle are priceless Prussian artifacts and artwork.

You got a couple of churches, too. St. John’s Church is a wonderful example of Gothic Revival architecture. And the Dr. Martin Luther Church isn’t lacking in beautiful art or stained glass.

Festivals abound, too! There’s the Luisenburg Festival and the Wagner Festival (that would be the composer Richard Wagner) in August. Not so much a festival, but Helmbrechts likes its Christmas Concerts!

Then there’s the natural side of Helmbrechts. Take your chances of finding your way out of the Felsenlabyrinth, a 2km long labyrinth maze.

There’s also the Raft Pond, an area with romantic little bridges, tall trees, and fields of grass to walk barefoot on. Scope out where you want to walk (whether it’s on those grassy fields or the too many to mention hiking & walking trails) from the Observation Tower, originally built in 1458.

I hope you like what you’ve heard about Helmbrechts, even if I might spell it wrong every once and a while. ;-)