I was a bit skeptical when it came time to see Höhr-Grenzhausen in the Rhineland. Never expecting to literally fall in love with the town!

Just a stone’s throw (10km) northeast of Koblenz and known as the gateway to the Westerwald, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendly people and a truly outstanding town.

Höhr-Grenzhausen is renowned for its ceramics, which is why you’ll find the Keramikmuseum Westerwald here. Oh, that would be the Westerwald Ceramics Museum in English-speaking books. If you like this, you’ll LOVE the International Ceramics Market & Museum Festival held here in early June with artisans coming from all over Europe.

After a visit to the museum you really need to see the ruins of Burg Grenzau. Built in 1210, this poor castle has seen better days, but that’s all part of its charm. Pieces of it collapsed in the 18th century and its triangular donjon is one of a kind in Germany.

Don’t worry about pieces of Castle Grenzau falling on you when you stay at the Burghotel Grenzau. This historic hotel, converted from a half-timbered house, sits right at the bottom of the castle’s hill. It’s a super nice view to wake up to every morning!

I almost forgot about another museum in Höhr-Grenzhausen. I don’t know how, because the Local History Museum a.k.a. Heimatmuseum is pretty awesome. Open on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, the museum has exhibits on daily life — like games, toys, and even and oldtime grocery store (don’t you just miss those in our today’s mega market world?).

The Romans also left their mark in Höhr-Grenzhausen with the Castellet Ferbach, a UNESCO world heritage site.

When you’re done sightseeing, take a walk or bicycle ride around town or within the Westerwald itself. Better yet, try Nordic Walking. Then treat yourself to a sauna or massage at one of the two wellness hotels in town which alone attract 100,000 visitors annually!

I don’t think there’s a better way to end a day. Oh wait, maybe there is when you shop at the town’s obligatory Christmas Market at the end of November. ;-)

It seems that everything that’s built or made today is disposable. Oh, your DVD player broke? Throw it out & buy a new one! Oh, don’t like the house you have? Tear it down and build a new one!

Makes no sense sometimes, right? You must be thinking I’ve flipped my lid and what does this have to with Eisenberg (Pfalz)?

First off, let me tell you I haven’t gone loopy. I just get all excited when I see things that are hundreds (and hundreds) of years old — they were built to LAST!

For instance, take the Storchenturm (Stork Tower) sitting right in the middle of town. This cute lil’ thing was built in the 15th century (yes, that would be the 1400’s, my friends) with walls two meters thick. So, there was no escaping when the thing was used as a prison, right? ;-)

There’s a little glitch in my theory when you talk about the Kloster St. Maria Rosenthal. The monastery is in ruins — BUT, the church’s wall and bell tower are still standing after more than 760 years. So, maybe there isn’t a hole in my theory afterall!

Another thing that lasts is tradition — this is why it’s called tradition, Silly! Eisenberg is a party town; and sometimes even we Germans like to party. OK, the Romans did, too; so, it’s fitting that Eisenberg holds an annual Roman Festival.

Not just for the fun of it — there were significant Roman artifacts found here, which can be found at the Roman Vicus Eisenberg Museum. In fact, two Roman coffins were uncovered — they’re now buried in the Eisenberg Cemetery.

Eisenberg’s obligatory Christmas Market is also pretty awesome; it’s where you can buy all sorts of gifts & candles (or drink mulled wine). If you can’t wait until the end of November, there’s a weekly market on Saturday mornings where you can buy fruit, veggies, flowers, or even honey. Don’t even get me started on the delicious pastries you can buy. ;-)

Oh, talk about things that last — those yummy goodies will stick to my abdomen for centuries! Excuse me while I TRY to work off those calories on Eisenberg’s walking paths AND bicycle trails… ;-)

You’ll be impressed by the natural scenic beauty of Lüchow (Wendland) that’s on the German Framework Road (Deutsche Fachwerkstraße), besides its gorgeous framework houses.

Now, keep in mind there are twenty-four local villages that make up Lüchow, spreading out through the Wendland region. What’s that mean? Well, a good deal, actually.

Honestly though, not all of Lüchow’s hamlets are worth flitting off to — some are just your average residential neighborhoods. That said, if you WANT to go exploring off — knock yourself out — you won’t (can’t) go wrong.

Start at the Old Rathaus (Town Hall) where you’re able to see a beautiful example for framework architecture. Come to think of it, many of Lüchow’s museums are housed in these half-timbered gems (except the Amtsturm). The Blue House Clenze is, well, blue, but also a framework building. It’s now a trade & craft museum. The nearby Hitzacker Customs House Museum is one of the oldest in the area, dating to 1589.

One museum that isn’t in a framework house is the Amtsturm. This is all that’s left of Lüchow’s castle that was destroyed by a fire in 1811. The tower now acts as a local history museum from the 19th century to today, and the view from the top is freakin’ fantastic!

If you want to go further back in history you need to do it at the Hitzacher Archaeology Museum, where more than 4,000 years of history are on display at this outdoor museum.

Besides having all these great museums, Lüchow has some great festivals, too. I’d say one of the most fun one is the Grape Harvest Festival in mid-October. You know what that means? Right… wine! They also choose a new Wine Queen while serving lots of wine.

Another one of Lüchow’s biggest festivals is the Buerbeerfest, a three day festival that has pagan routes. It now takes place every year on the weekend after St. Georg Day — a real nice time towards the end of April!

You know, at first I was just impressed by Lüchow’s scenic beauty. Now, I’m totally impressed by all of it! Now if you’ll excuse me… the gorgeous wine queen is holding my glass — and one should never leave a lady waiting! ;-)

Every Wednesday local historians meet at the Volkshaus (built 1906) compiling information and history about the town of Wildau. Not only have they created books of Wildau’s history, they also offer organized guided tours of their community! What better way to see a place than through the eyes of someone who has lived here for years?

Now just because Wildau is just south of Berlin doesn’t mean that it’s an ultra happening city, or anything. Quite the contrary, really.

The biggest draw to Wildau is the Volkshaus itself. Built at the turn of the last century (no, not this one ha-ha), the Volkshaus is home to more than just Wildau’s local history organization.

For years there were concerts, theater and opera performances, and even puppet shows at the town’s cultural building. Then came the days of the Second World War and the Volkshaus went dark. Thankfully, it is is back in use again not only for operas and plays — but, rock concerts as well!

The Second World War didn’t just shut down the Volkshaus — it will forever leave a mark on Wildau. You’ll find a Soviet Memorial dedicated to 61 Soviet POW’s and 35 soldiers and an Honorary Tomb dedicated to 44 forced laborers (from the Soviet Union, France, Poland, and Italy).

In addition to the Volkshaus, residents like to meet up at the town’s three sports halls. You’ve got everything from an indoor pool, to bowling, and even a multiplex cinema.

If you’re more the outdoorsy type, there’s a place to play beach volleyball, jump in a swimming lake, and lots of little forest walking trails. Sounds good, right?

I personally like the little lane that leads up to the Church of Peace (built 1909). This forlorn looking church is at its most beautiful when the clouds are dark gray and a violent storm is on the horizon — because then its bright gold hands on the clock tower really stand out against the drab, dreary sky.

Better yet, leave your historian guide here and enjoy this all to yourself! ;-)

Germany’s one of those countries where you could live here your whole life and still not see it all. Why? Because of little towns like Weingarten (Baden) in the little-known, yet gorgeous, Kraichgau.

It’s not so much as all the sightseeing you can do around this beautiful wine region. Just add in all the festivals, bicycle routes, and walking paths; and you’ve got yourself a month of Sundays worth of busy!

Did I mention that Weingarten is also on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route? No? Well, I just did. ;-)

Originally, Weingarten started as a Roman settlement, then started to come into its own during the Middle Ages; and sadly there isn’t much of those two epic time periods left. By the time the Wartturm (a 16th century watchtower) was built in 1589, the medieval period was pretty much over.

Today, the tower acts as an exhibition hall highlighting Weingarten’s history.

If you stand on the 19th century Tulla Bridge (found right in the City Center) you can get an awesome snapshot of the tower, as well as the town itself. Even getting a picture of the historic Walk’scheshaus, a half timbered house built in 1701. The Walk’scheshaus is both a restaurant and a hotel; and you couldn’t ask for a better hotel address than this as it’s right on the Marktplatz!

Leading off from the Marktplatz and the Warturm is the Forest & Wine Trail. General tours along this trail can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 3-hours, so plan to be out here for a while.

Oh, don’t balk… the vineyards and forest make for great scenery. Told you the Kraichgau is one of my favorites, didn’t I… ;-)

Other outdoor activities can include a visit to the Weingarten Moor Nature Reserve, or traveling along a chunk of the Pan Europa Bicycle Route. Don’t go too far, this route travels all the way from the Czech Republic to France!

I like how the municipal pool is open all year round — despite being an outdoor pool! Who cares if it’s winter, warm up at its Roman steambath or in the Finnish sauna.

Some visitors (and locals) like the Baggersee instead (a lake). Entrance is free and there are BBQ pits for cooking some hot dogs. Oh, I’m sorry — I mean bratwurst. ;-)

In addition to all this sightseeing, Weingarten (Baden) still has all sorts of festivals going on. The most popular festivals are the Musikfest (end of July), the Christmas Market (end of November), and the Wine Hiking Day (September). Well, it’s a good thing it’s a wine day with only hiking — you certainly wouldn’t want a Wine Driving Day!

I would say that it’s possible that no two towns in Germany are alike. That’s OK though, not every place has to be just like the one next door. Which is why you’ll like Merzenich in southern North-Rhine Westphalia, even though it doesn’t have a gazillion things to see and do.

Don’t get me wrong, Merzenich is located in a beautiful countryside — so, taking a walk or bicycling along the Steinweg is just fantastic. In the summer, Merzenich puts on a number of outdoor concerts here; and if you climb to the top of the hill, you’ll see clear to the Eifel.

For those of you who prefer nature on the Discovery Channel, come see Merzenich’s Local History Museum (called Heimatmuseum under us Germans). It’s housed in a half-timbered house from the 17th century; and has original furniture of that time.

Another piece of history to see is the Catholic Parish Church. Or, what WAS Merzenich’s Catholic Church — this 14th century church is now in ruins. The Jewish Cemetery is also ruined, it was destroyed by an airplane crash during World War II; and never restored.

Merzenich’s landmark is its Wasserturm, or Water Tower. This tower has been here since the 17th century, was once used as a windmill and is now a site for local cultural events.

That’s a good thing, because Merzenich likes to party! Carnival is big around these parts and it’s a great time during the cold days of Winter/early Spring! Come October, there’s always the Oktoberfest for great food, great beer, and great music!

I almost forgot to mention Merzenich’s markets. Shop til you’re exhausted at the town’s Flea Markets, its Herbstmarkt, and its obligatory Christmas Market.

So although Merzenich doesn’t have too much else to do, I think it’s just right the way it is, nonetheless.

I love stories of pioneer women who started a revolution. No, I don’t mean like the war kind of revolution, not at all! It was a German woman by the name of Bertha Benz who jump started the love of the German automobile — see a revolution of the car kind!

Yes, her last name sounds familiar, her husband was none other than Carl Benz — founder of the beloved German automobile maker Mercedes Benz.

But, it’s her name that’s used to commemorate the pioneering journey — known as the Bertha Benz Memorial Route, which runs through one of my favorite German region, the beautiful Kraichgau, from Mannheim to Pforzheim. Carl might have built the cars, but Bertha blazed the way for us all! :-)

Now, we’ve all heard that necessity is the mother of invention. So, Frau Benz wanted to visit her mother and decided to use her husband’s Model #3 car to get there. She and her two teenage sons packed up early one morning, taking the prototype car out without telling the hubby. Brave woman considering that in 1888 there weren’t any gas stations and the car hadn’t been tested for long distances!

The Bertha Benz Memorial Route runs for about 194km (approx 120 miles); and if you look on a map Mannheim to Pforzheim isn’t THAT far (nowadays, that is). This route has a northbound route and a southbound route, since Mrs. Benz was a bit nervous to drive the mountain terrain she originally drove on the way back.

Bertha Benz Memorial Route — Outbound Trip

By starting your trip in Mannheim you’ll be taking the southbound portion first. Mannheim, once a Nazi stronghold, was seriously bombed during the last days of the war (and the 1st rocket plane was built here). Today it is rebuilt and hosts the annual Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival. It also has a Tierpark (Game Park) and a Farmers Market on the Marktplatz every Monday & Wednesday.

Coming south you’ll arrive in historical Ladenburg, where Mr. Benz lived from 1906 until he died in 1929. There is the Carl Benz Auto Museum to see, as well as a medieval and picturesque Old Town section that includes the 12th century Sankt Gallus Church and the Martinstor (Martin’s Gate).

In Dossenheim, the Bertha Benz Route meets with the Bergstrasse at the foot of the Odenwald. If you’re here in May, party hard at the Sommertagszug. If not, visit its local history museum and the ruins of Schauenburg.

Next up is chic Heidelberg, one of my favorite cities! Its forboding castle atop the hillside isn’t the only thing to bring you to this university town. No, it has the pre-Reformation Church of the Holy Spirit, the 12th century Church of St. Peter, and the Autumn Festival on the last Saturday in September. The Vampire Ball in February is also a HUGE hit!

After leaving Heidelberg come to Wiesloch. Why? Oh, because not only was the town’s pharmacy the world’s first petrol station (Mrs. Benz stopped here for Ligroin — the stuff used to fuel the car she was driving) but, the oldest hummingbird fossil was found here, too. Plus, I kind of like the Wine Festival in September. ;-)

Further south is Stettfeld (part of Ubstadt-Weiher) where you’ll find an awesome Roman Archaeological Museum and a few ornately decorated Baroque churches. Come at the end of September when everyone in Stettfeld comes together to celebrate Kerwe, a church festival.

Another Roman settlement town along the Bertha Benz Memorial Route is Weingarten (Baden). Not only do they choose a wine queen every year, they also have a super fantastic recreational lake for swimming! Weingarten sits along a nature reserve area, so walking and bicycling is a very good idea — don’t forget to ride past the 16th century Wartturm that’s now an observation tower & museum, and the memorial to the town’s former synagogue located on Keltergasse.

Berghausen, nowadays part of Pfinztal, is next up and home to 12th century monasteries and wine production! With all the vino that’s flowing through town no wonder its 8,000 residents love living here!

Bertha Benz also passed through another of Pfinztal’s districts, Kleinsteinbach, which doesn’t have a whole lot of sightseeing. Still, this village lost most of its population during the 17th century Thirty Years’ War and now welcomes visitors to see its beautiful church and Castle Kleinsteinbach.

The next town on Bertha’s tour is Königsbach-Stein, a real treat and each of its parts is special in its own right. Königsbach has a charming framework Town Hall dating to 1622 and a Jewish Cemetery from the 1850’s. Stein’s half timbered Town Hall is a hundred years older, has a 16th century castle tower still standing, a local history museum, and a 1st century AD Roman relief to see. NICE!

Yepee, you made it to Pforzheim! — a town that’s known as the Golden City because of its jewelry making and its location at the edge of the Black Forest. While you’re here check out the Wallberg, where tons of debris from WWII bombings were laid, the Jewelry Museum, a Roman archaeological site, the ruins of Liebeneck Castle, and the Schlosskirche St. Michael. If you have any energy left, take in a fun Puppet Theater performance.

Bertha Benz Memorial Route — Return Trip

All right, it’s now time to turn around and do the northbound route, the tour Bertha took to get back home!

Bretten is first up with many half timbered houses on the Marktplatz and its Rathaus (Town Hall) is still gorgeous after more than 300 years! Take your time here because there are castle ruins to see, a City Museum AND an Indian Museum to visit, and you’ll also find a memorial to the town’s former Jewish synagogue, school, and mikvah (a ritual bath). Afterwards a performance at the Baden National Stage is always a good idea!

I think staying the night in Gondelsheim, our next stop, is a good idea. Why? Because the Hotel Löwenthor has been welcoming guests since 1701 — I’d say they must be doing something right! Before you settle in for the night come see the Schloss Gondelsheim Park and the 19th century synagogue. Oh, did I mention that Carl Benz’s mother is buried here?

Over in Bruchsal they don’t have a castle — they call it a chateau! This Baroque chateau now houses exhibits from the State Museum of Baden; and it’s a huge asparagus producing town — so eat your veggies, you’ll need your strength as there’s still a good deal more to see!

Hambrücken is where the Bertha Benz Memorial Route meets the Baden Asparagus Route. You’ll love being here on the last weekend in August for the City Celebration and its annual Christmas Market.

Kirrlach (which is now part of Waghäusel) is also part of the Baden Asparagus Route! Besides just growing the “king’s vegetable” it has a local history museum and a lovely pilgrimage church with a monastery.

Oh, car fans — you’re gonna love the next town along Bertha’s Route, Hockenheim! Maybe not for its Art Nouveau Water Tower (which is the town’s landmark) and neither for its Evangelical Church (gorgeous!), but for its Motorsports Museum and the Hockenheimring. Hey, isn’t the Bertha Benz Memorial Route an honor for car enthusiasts? Yeah, that’s what I thought! ;-)

Next fun stop? You’ll have loads of fun in Ketsch. So maybe it doesn’t have a REALLY old medieval church or anything — but it has an outdoor pool that makes artificial waves (always for a great time!) and a fresh lake that’s great for fishing. On the 3rd weekend of July, come join the Fishing Celebration!

Oh, our time on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route is nearly over — one last terrific town before you find yourself back in Mannheim. So, you better enjoy fine Schwetzingen while you can! Located on the western Odenwald (and meeting up with the Baden Asparagus Route once again & the Burgenstraße (Castle Road)), you won’t know whether you want to see the town’s Rococo Theater, the decorative Town Church, the Palace Garden, or the City History Museum First.

Oh, tosh! Forget that — let’s party at the Mozart Celebration (Sept/Oct), the Church Festival (Oct.), and the Asparagus Saturday instead!

After arriving back in Mannheim, I hope you fell in love with this route (and Bertha) as much as I have. Because without her we might never have fallen in love with the German automobile.

Sorry Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, and Porsche, you might be excellent German automakers — but, Benz came first! ;-)

Only a few minutes south of the Stuttgart Airport, you’d never in a million years think that that small cute village you just saw in the airplane is that interesting. Aichtal is like a time warp back to the bygone days of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Aichtal is also a fantastic place to shop. Not in big overcrowded, overpriced supermarket chains either! Aichtal has two weekly markets on Thursdays (7:30am-12:30pm) and Fridays (8am-12n) filled with all sorts of fresh produce, cheeses, and pastries! Yum!

A few times a year Aichtal has its Shopkeepers Markets, usually on/around February 2nd, the 4th Saturday in March, and 3rd Tuesday in November.

For as many markets as Aichtal has, it has just as many museums. There’s the Local History Museum (called Heimatmuseum, located at Mozartstrasse 11) that’s open on the second Sunday of the month from 10am-6pm. As well as the Baker’s Shop Museum (found at Waldenbucher Str. 1) with a look at how its been done over the last hundred years.

After you’ve sampled a few of the many delicious pastries, better go work the calories off in the Nature Park Schönbuch. Don’t look at it as exercise, just enjoy the tree lined walking or cycling trails along a few lakes and valleys. ;-)

You know, a nice stroll on the Hindenburgstrasse is a good idea, too. You’ll find many framework houses along the way, one dating back to the 15th century! Keep a lookout for Aichtal’s original defense wall, known in German as a Stadtmauer. Not nearly as old (but still lovely) is the “New” Town Hall (built 1845) and the “Old” Town Hall (built 1742).

One modern site in Aichtal is the Aichtalbrücke (built 1979), which is the longest highway bridge in Germany.

Oh, I’m sorry, another one is Aichtal’s indoor pool, perfect for day of fun if the weather isn’t cooperating!

Lastly, you might want to stop by and see the 13th century grave plate of Diepold of Berne (died 1286), who was the founding father of Aichtal, just to let him know how much you liked his town!

Only 20 minutes north of Ravensburg in the town of Aulendorf both the Upper Swabian Baroque Route and the Swabian Spa Route meet up.

What does that mean to you when you visit this part of Baden-Württemberg? Easy, you’ll have both some amazingly pretty architecture to look at — and an awesome spa to visit when you’re done.

Baroque aside for a minute, the show stopper around here is the Schloss Aulendorf. Well, it’s not so much a castle anymore in the traditional sense, it is now a branch of the Federal Museum. I don’t think some duke had that in mind when he commissioned its building in the 13th century. Oh well, his loss, our gain. ;-)

Don’t mix up the Schlossmuseum with the Bürgermuseum, though, which is Aulendorf’s Urban History Museum.

A stop at St. Martin’s Church is your last stop before heading out into the countryside. St. Martin’s alter was created back 500 years ago and its architecture ranges from Classicism to Gothic so it would be a shame to miss it.

OK, so where to next? Simple, the Monument Locomotive. While this massive steam engine beauty doesn’t chug along anymore to points unknown, we can at least enjoy it for what it is.

Don’t run off now, there’s more. How about a hike or bicycle ride through the Altdorfer Forest? No? OK, how about a swim in the Steegersee? Yes? Good, because this moorland lake is quite popular for warm weather swimming by local and visitor alike. All that’s left is a soak in the Aulendorf Hot Springs (a.k.a. Schwaben-Therme Aulendorf), relax with a massage, and dip in a Roman Bath.

Oh, I’m sorry — that’s not all that’s left, I almost forgot about the Ritterkeller. Everyone gets hungry so there isn’t a reason why you can’t enjoy a jovial medieval banquet feast served by costumed staff!

Thanks for mentioning food, because during Aulendorf’s Fastnet you can try some hearty Swabian dishes. You and the kids will have a great time. They’ll probably enjoy the Children’s Celebration on the third weekend of August also.

Honestly, Aulendorf has something everyone can enjoy. Me? I’ll take that soak in a Hot Spring any day of the week. ;-)

You’ll find the Lower Saxon town of Twist pretty much right on the border of the Netherlands. In fact, the name itself is a taken from a Low German word meaning “disputed border.”

One thing’s for sure, there’s no disputing that Twist sits on some pretty amazing moorland real estate; and you’ll have an awesome time all around the countryside.

Now I’m going to be totally honest, there’s not a whole heck of a lot to “do” in Twist. But, with what there is — you’ll really like it! Yes, there are small little religious grottos throughout town making great photo ops, then there is the 18th century St. Vinzenz Church with its two Rococo busts. And in the village of Neuringe, you’ll see one of the most valuable organs of any German church.

But, mostly everyone comes to Twist for the Heimathaus. This converted farmhouse is the venue for some of the biggest names in blues, folk, and jazz in the region — with many followers coming over the border from the Netherlands.

Music isn’t the only thing over at the Heimathaus, though, they also organize bicycle tours and even entertainment for children.

The kids will love Twist’s campground that even has its own swimming lake. There’s a horse farm nearby with a playground that’s perfect for family fun. Although, nothing will compare to the outdoor fun at nearby Schloss Dankern.

Oh sure, you’ll think you’re walking up to some stuffy old burg — it’s what’s hidden in back that’ll blow you over. Would you believe an entire leisure park? There’s everything from aerial walks, swimming in both indoor & outdoor pools, waterskiing, a children’s “castle,” and shopping!

For all the activity at Dankern, it’s quite the opposite at Schloss Clemenswerth. Once an old hunting lodge (some digs, I tell you!) from the 1730’s, the schloss is now an elegant venue for weddings; and visitors are welcome to explore the castle’s garden.

As you can see, the border of Twist might have been disputed at one point — but, there’s no disputing you’ll have a blast!