Three’s a lucky number, wouldn’t you say? It is if you’re talking about the town of Drei Gleichen, nestled ever so nicely between the cities of Gotha, Erfurt, and Arnstadt.

Hmm, I’m starting to see a pattern here with this number three business. ;-)

The number three comes up yet again, this time in the form of castles. Also known as Drei Gleichen (meaning Three of a Kind), the Wachsenburg; Mühlburg; and Burg Gleichen are an impressive trio of medieval castle building. The youngest of them is Burg Gleichen, built way back in 1034. It’s sad the castle’s former glory is gone, but the ruin that’s left is still a testament to Romanesque architecture.

It’s believed the Mühlburg is the oldest of the three, whose original castle goes all the way back to the 8th century. I shudder to think what the original owner would say at the thought of his magnificent castle being used as a museum.

While I know it’s hard to choose a favorite, mine would be the Veste Wachsenburg; and not just because I’m able to spend a night at the castle’s hotel, either. OK, that’s part of it — who wouldn’t like to spend their nights in a 10th century castle pretending to be royalty? What, like I’m the only one?

Even if you don’t spend the night, the Veste Wachsenburg is a popular stop for hikers through the region, and houses a Military History Museum.

As for the rest of Drei Gleichen (the town), be prepared to visit some outstanding old churches, too. Grabsleben’s St. Magdalena Church is just a good place to start as any, so long as you remember to see the squat, square tower of the St. Gotthard Church in Großrettbach. Actually it’s the inside of St. Gotthard’s you need to see, its woodwork is nothing short of gorgeous — even for all its simplicity.

From the looks of it, you’d never guess for a minute that two of Drei Gleichen’s hamlets had been totally decimated during the Thirty Years’ War — so much, in fact, the village of Großrettbach sat totally uninhabited for a number of years.

Amazing how the Gut Ringhofen managed to survive.

Today’s Drei Gleichen is much different from all those centuries ago. These days people are flocking to the place — especially for the Thüringer Burgenfahrt (Thuringian Castle Ride) every July, hike through the nature reserve areas, or enjoy all of Wandersleben’s half-timbered houses — yet another three things to love about Drei Gleichen. :-)

After writing so many articles here on MyGermanCity.com, sometimes I have to find a way to amuse myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I have the best job in the whole world, but that doesn’t stop from poking fun at places like Weischlitz — whose name sounds like the name of a brand of beer. Yeah, I’ll take a liter of Weischlitz on tap.

Ok, so all my jokes aren’t winners. ;-)

What is a winner is Weischlitz itself, a town of over a dozen little villages tucked away ever so nicely along the Weiße Elster in the Vogtland region in eastern Saxony. It’s also tucked nicely in the tri-state region meeting up with both Thuringia and Bavaria, with a stone called the Drei Freistaaten-Stein marking its official borders.

You’d never know it these days, but the area was once part of a 5km exclusion zone when the place belonged to East Germany. These days it lies along the Green Belt, which is a great place to go hiking. You’re not limited to just hiking along the former Inner German border, there are plenty of hiking trails like the Kemnitztalweg and Burgstein Lehrpfad. A really good one is the Kürbitzer Lindwurmpfad, which blends a lesson of history and geology.

Nature and a small historical summary aren’t all of Weischlitz’s attractions, how about a castle? Burg Türbel might lie in ruins these days, but in its heyday it protected an important trade route in the Middle Ages. And while it isn’t actually a real castle, the Manor Kürbitz is a unique design blending stone and half-timbered construction — but its exceptionally steep roof and small windows are what caught my attention.

The ruins of a Gothic 15th century church also caught my eye, but my favorite is the pretty village church over in Dröda, built in 1456. That’s not to take anything from the Salvator Church (built 1624), or the ruins of Geilsdorf Castle.

My historical rendition of what’s found in Weischlitz is nothing compared to what you’ll find out at the Museum of Cultural History — and how the Kienmühle has been operational since the late 17th century.

Or, you could just come to enjoy one of the town’s cultural events — like the Christmas Market or its Carnival celebrations.

You know, if Weischlitz was a beer, I’d have to ask for another. ;-)

In the town of Heimsheim you learn mighty fast that you don’t have to be an exceptionally big town to offer history and culture to both visitor and resident alike. Bordering the town of Weil der Stadt, Heimsheim is a charming place that manages to blend nature and culture so neatly within less than fifteen square kilometers.

One of the best places to see this neat package in action is at the Graevenitzsches Schloss, an old castle (whose oldest part dates back to around the year 1415) that’s now the town’s Rathaus (Town Hall) and Community Center. You’re more than welcome to come see what used to be the castle’s Tithe Barn, its old church, and the castle’s Great Hall.

If you’d rather get out and about, then I’d suggest any one of the many hiking or bike trails through the region known as the Heckengäu. This nature area is full of amazing flora and fauna, passing along orchards and other what-nots.

For those wanting to stay a bit closer, I’d recommend the Nature Reserve Trail, a 2 or 3 hour hike that runs from Betzenbuckel to Friolzeim. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to do the trail when Heimsheim has one of its many festivals taking place, though. ;-)

In my humble opinion, I’d say the Autumn Festival (in October) has got to be one of the best — the weather’s great, the beer keeps you warm, and the faces are friendly. The Gemeindefest is held in December, and shouldn’t be confused with the Christmas Market that comes along a few weeks later.

There are other cultural events throughout the year, like Football tournaments, Literature events, Community Book Sales, and other Christmas events. Consider these activities a great way to meet the neighbors.

Heimsheim might seem a world away, but it’s an easy bus ride from places like Leonberg — so be sure you come on over. OK?

All right, all right, I know there are only so many adjectives you can use to say how wonderful and fantastic a place is. But, when it comes to the town of Blaufelden, I’d have to say absolutely delightful comes to mind.

How could it not? You’ll find it right in Franconia, spread out over ninety square kilometers of tree lined streets, with imposing church towers, and wonderful bicycle trails.

As for those bike trails, they all have a “seven” theme to them; with names like the Seven Forest Tour, Seven Quarries Tour, and Seven Villages Tour. I guess there’s something to be said for the lucky number seven, ’cause you should consider yourself lucky if you’re pedaling on one of them.

You should consider yourself more than lucky if you’re able to see the formidable tower of the St. Ulrich Church, built on this spot just shy of six hundred years ago. Over in the village of Gammesfeld there’s another fortified church, this one dedicated to St. Nicholas.

The Middle Ages had a building boom, I guess; although you might not be able to tell since there’s nothing left of the Burgrest Hertenstein. The castle wasn’t around too long, built in the 1200s it didn’t survive past the 14th century. Too bad, I bet it was a beauty.

Oh well, I’ll have to take comfort in one of Blaufelden’s festivals. Once famous for its Piglet Market, these days the town’s known for its Taubenmarkt (Pigeons Market, mid-January), its Töpfermarkt (Pottery Market) in June, the Christmas Market on the first weekend of Advent, and its regular Weekly Market on Saturday mornings.

However, the biggest event to come to town now happens yearly: the Hohenlohe Folk Festival. For more than a century, people from all over (and beyond) come for the food, beer tents, and parades at Pentecost. I’d say that’s a fine way to spend a weekend, wouldn’t you?

At least you don’t have to wait that long for the Eisenbahn und Dampfmodell Museum (Railway & Steam Model Museum) to open; they open their doors on the last Sunday of the month from 1pm-5pm.

I told you Blaufelden is delightful, as well as fun and historic and pretty and… well, the adjectives could just go on and on. ;-)

Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to yet another winner of the “Unser Dorf soll Schöner werden” contest. Or, as you say in English, Our Village is Beautiful, but some just call it the town of Marxzell.

What makes Marxzell so special? I don’t know… could it be the town’s seven districts lying within the Albtal and Northern Black Forest? Could it be you’re able to eat your way around town, sampling dishes like Black Forest Trout?

Oh, I know, it’s the chance to see an Icelandic horse stud farm.

One thing that really makes Marxzell special is the Frauenalb. For six hundred years this old medieval Benedictine monastery was home to nuns, but sadly has been a ruin for the last two centuries. Its signposts might be in German, but the graceful arched doorways and well-kept grounds transcend any language barrier, as the place still feels holy after all these years.

Want another heavenly experience? It’d have to be trekking out through the Black Forest Nature Park, home to almost three-quarter of a million people. The flora and fauna found within the nature park is nothing short of extraordinary. However, if you want to stick a little closer to Marxzell, there are a number of well-marked hiking trails ranging from 11 to 23 kilometers.

Can you think of a better way to kill like six hours? No, me either.

Well, that is unless you’re going to spend them at one of Marxzell’s museums. The Fahrzeugmuseum is quite popular, but then again, any museum dedicated to old cars should be. You’ll also find a Heimat- und Dorfmuseum, a local history museum, housed in a quaint half-timbered house. It’s open the first Sunday of the month, from 10am to noon; while the Kantebuahaus (another local history museum) is also open the first Sunday from 1pm-3pm.

Cool, there’s time to do both. :-)

Wait, my guess is Marxzell didn’t win the Unser Dorf soll schöner werden contest because of its museums… So maybe it’s best to get back outside in the fresh Black Forest air. I got another six hours to kill. ;-)

Some people have called the town of Röbel (Müritz) a Kleinstadt — or small town.

Small how? It’s quite a good size, over thirty square kilometers — but I’m not sure if that’s what they mean. And if you add in the 24 communities of the Collective Municipality of the same name, then you’ve really got something big on your hands.

As for big, nothing is bigger than Röbel’s heart. The town itself is located on the banks of Lake Müritz, but it’s the Altstadt (Old Town) you’ll want to see if you’re into the whole historical thing — and most especially if you like to see half-timbered houses.

Not old enough for you? OK, well, then maybe you’re up for a visit to the Marienkirche, a Gothic church built in the 13th century. That’s about the time St. Nicolai Church was built, too. So it seems there was a huge building boom in Röbel during the 1200s, as that’s the time the town’s Stadtmauer (city wall) was erected.

Röbel’s medieval history is more than just its churches and old defense walls, so a trip over to the Town Museum will explain so much more than just looking the its old buildings.

Although it’s a blend of old building and museum that awaits at the former synagogue. Its unique timber-framed construction is unique, and it’s the only one left in the entire Müritz region. Plus, the museum exhibits inside talk about Röbel’s former Jewish community.

Wait, we’re not done with the museums yet. Wouldn’t you like to see a natural history one? Sure you would, which is why you should go visit the Müritzeum.

Of course you could just go explore around the natural side of Röbel on your own. The Naturpark Nossentiner is great, it’s all about the bogs and animals — especially birds; and then there’s the Müritz National Park, too. Although camping out and a horseback riding is just as good a way to experience it as any.

Small? I think not. Röbel (Müritz) is perfectly sized to experience the best of the Mecklenburg Lakes.

After spending the last few weeks in the Swabian region, I’ve finally gotten to the itsy-bitsy town of Heiningen. Now, to be honest, compared to some of its more famous neighbors (like Göppingen and Dürnau, to name a few) I was prepared not be all that dazzled. However, Heiningen manages to hold its own.

I found Heiningen is best enjoyed outside, not stuck behind museum and/or castle walls. You really want to get a feel for the place — take a leisurely horse and buggy ride. Or, you could always trek along one of its four Nordic Walking trails. No big deal if you’re not all that athletic, they have a beginners trail.

When you’re ready to get off the beaten path, I’d say it’s time to head out to the Burgruine Hiltenburg. Technically it’s a ruin, but I say the old 13th century castle is in pretty good shape; plus the view from the observation deck is nothing short of outstanding. How could it not, it’s the Swabian Alb you’re overlooking.

Staying in Heiningen puts you exceptionally close to some other nearby castles. The Wasserschloss Dürnau might not have its drawbridge anymore, but it’s still gorgeous.

Too bad not all that much is left of both Burg Oberrommental and Burg Lotenberg. The latter being a 13th century castle that once belonged to the Dukes of Teck. Yes, that’s the very family of none other than Queen Mary of Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandmother.

All right, enough of the history lessons; I told you Heiningen’s major claim to fame is the great outdoors. From here you should relax at the Voralbbad, where the water’s set a constant 25 degrees Celsius — with its own solarium, sauna, plunge pool, and beach volleyball court.

No, wait, I take that back. First, you should hike out on the Kornberg — one of the highest mountains in the region.

Ok, now you can go to the spa. I know that’s where I’ll be for a while… ;-)

I make all kinds of corny jokes about my love, Bavaria. There is some truth to it all though, and it’s for reasons like the Hassberge Nature Park, or Naturpark Haßberge, found in the Fränkische Keuperland. That would be the Franconian Keuper Land in English, in case you’re wondering.

What does this 804 square kilometers (310 square miles) slice of Heaven have in store for us? It took me a long time to know where to start. Officially you’ll find it to the northwest of the city of Bamberg, but there’s more to it than that.

And to take you on a “guided” webpage walk through some towns just won’t do the Naturpark Haßberge justice, as it’s known in German. You’ll find everything (and I do mean everything) from history to food, fishing to swimming, castles to camping, nature areas to train rides, beer to wine.

That’s not even the half of it. I’ll do my best to break all of the Hassberge Nature Park’s goodies down for you — just to make it easier.

Castles

I’m not kicking off the Nature Park with castles ’cause they’re my favorite. Oh no, there are some 26 castles found within the park. Such as Burg Bramberg in Würzburg, Burg Rotenhan in Eyrichshof (part of Ebern), Burg Altenstein in Maroldsweisach, and the Bettenburg in Hofheim (Lower Franconia).

And, please, I haven’t even gotten to the Burgen- und Schlösserwanderweg yet.

Guided Trails

Oh, it appears I just did get to the Castles Trail, didn’t I? As if the above castles weren’t enough — all you have to do is follow the little green tower sign to hike to the Hassberge’s best castles and ruins. This one’s a doozy — 212km for 25 castles.

This ain’t no one-trail park, that I can tell you. You can hike the Burgwinkel, a 17km trail leading from Ebein to Ruine Rotenhan and Ruine Lichtenstein, ending at the Sagenpfad. Or, take the Rustic Village Route (16km) from Oberhaid to Mönchsee, Appendorf, Stiefenberg, ending in Baunach.

Wait… there’s more!

There’s also the Keltenweg (yes, the Celts), the Burgenkundlicher Naturweg (8 castles & ruins) that’s 40km long. Then there’s the Franconian Biblical Path, or Fränkischer Bibelweg (9km), with biblical sculptures from Untermerzbach to Seßlach.

Along the Lichtensteiner Sagenpfad are eleven stations that’ll tell you all about local legends as well as the local flora & fauna. It’s a historical theme on the 50km Amtsbotenwanderweg that runs in the footsteps of messengers who did the ride from Königsberg twice a week a couple of centuries ago.

Let’s not even forget to talk about the whole Hiking By Train thing. Oh yeah — this is great — you hike one way & take the train to get back. Sweet — less walking and more time to eat, drink, and be quite merry.

Wine / Beer / Food

Yeah, see, I knew the beer was coming up. Find one of the Bierkeller in Oberhaid, Reckendorf, Hallstadt, and Kemmern — you’ll thank me for telling you about it.

Then there’s the wine. If you’re in Steinbuch you can kick off the Weinwanderweg (it’s a walking route since you’re not supposed to be drinking & driving) following along the vineyards of the Franconian region.

You need food to keep you going at this point — so lucky for you there are a number of Farmer Markets selling their freshest fruit & veggie.

Museums

You’ll need to keep your strength up with good food ’cause there are all sorts of exciting museums that await you here in the Hassberge Nature Park. The Schmiedemuseum is all about industry in the town of Kirchlauter, then there’s a 50’s Museum in Burgpreppach (great poodle skirts and doo-wop music), a Railway Museum in Hofheim, an Archaeological Museum in Bad Neustadt, and the Zeiler Hexenturm that’s all about the region’s witch hunting days.

Thankfully there isn’t any more of that going on — but there is plenty of camping instead. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Camping

Of course Germany’s got all kinds of hotels, guesthouses, historic inns, and everything in between where you can lay your head at night. However, nothing compares to roughing it in the Franconian countryside. Some of the best campgrounds in the Haßberge are located in Dürrenried, Baunach, Nassach, Schweinshaupten, and Reutersbrunn.

Please, I haven’t even gotten into the whole farm experience. Yes, if you wanna sleep in a real bonafide farm for the night — you can do that too in & around the Haßberge.

Lakes

That’s too much for me… how will I ever get the smell of farm animal off? Yes, silly me — jump into one of the lakes found within the Haßberge. While there’s no camping out over by the Seidenhäusersee in the town of Königsberg, there is a playground for the kids and a beer garden for the grown-ups at the lake in Sulzfeld (Grabfeld).

Gmünd’s got a sweet lake too, known as the Weißfichtensee. This lake has everything you need for a good time in and around the water — from a playground to a fireplace to keep off the evening chill, to a nature area.

Wait… does that mean I need to put the Weißfichtensee in our next category?

Nature

It is a nature park after all, so I have to put the natural side of the Haßberge in here somewhere. Whether you’re coming to see the storks that make their annual appearance, or if you’re into all the indigenous creatures and plants — you’ll love it here. I’m pretty sure the llamas aren’t indigenous, but taking a llama trek is definitely a one of a kind experience, don’t ya think?

How do you follow something like that? You don’t — so our travel around the Hassberge Nature Park ends here. And I really hope you like it as much as I do.

Here it is, a beautiful Palm Sunday here in the town of Bergrheinfeld; the sun’s shining brightly on this fine springtime day.

What makes today so special is the Bergrheinfeld Palm Sunday procession, just one of many cultural and holiday events throughout the year in this Lower Franconian town.

Located on the Main River, Bergrheinfeld sits within the Fränkisches Weinland (Franconian Wine Country) in the northwest corner of Bavaria. Its geographical location is but one facet to what makes it a grand place to be — but I started off with one of its events, so I’ll just tell you about the Wine Festival at the end of July.

One of Bergrheinfeld’s other popular events is its Kulturwoche (Culture Week), with events for both children and adults that are all about music and art and literature, even theater. This coincides with the Brunnenfest (Fountain Festival), so it’s a double-whammy of a party, wouldn’t you say?

Not the party animal type? That’s all right, I’ll suggest you take a leisurely stroll along the Hauptstraße, at #38 you’ll find Bergrheinfeld’s Rathaus (Town Hall) — a half-timbered building from the 1660s, which is also the town’s landmark. At Hauptstraße 36, there’s an 18th century statue of Mary and the Zehnthaus. As pretty as it is in the daytime, it seems to be just as lovely in the evening, too.

I’ll also tell you to visit the town’s churches while you’re here. The Church of St. Michael (located at Kirchsteig 6) was built in 1691, making it over 300 years old. And the Maria Schmerz Kirche is lovingly decorated down to the finest detail — even the ceiling. If there’s enough time, be sure to see the former rectory (located at Hirtengasse 6), another old building from the 1600s.

As if this all isn’t enough, Berghreinfeld lies along a couple of scenic routes. The Fränkische Marienweg comes right through, as does the Main-Werra Cycle Route, and the Jakobusweg (Way of St. James in English). Not too bad for a town that isn’t even twenty square kilometers, is it?

Well, if you’ll excuse me — that Palm Sunday procession is about to start. Maybe I’ll come back for the annual Advent Market, in November, perhaps you should, too.

For years men have fought over the little slice of Baden-Württemberg, more specifically the town of Meckesheim. What is it about these sixteen-plus square kilometers that everyone wanted it? I’d gander to say its location — since it’s just 20 kilometers from Heidelberg in the Rhine-Neckar region, and not all that far from the Hessian border.

Meckesheim’s location is but one facet to this very historical town. And not history in the way you might think, either. Yes, the town has its grand old churches, but not all have church ruins from the 7th century. While the ruins of the St. Martin Church are exceptionally old, they were built on the site of an old Roman Watchtower — making the location even older than you might think.

All right, all right, the rest of Meckesheim’s churches are nowhere nearly as old, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see them. I’d say the St. Anthony of Padua Church is a fine example of neo-Romanesque architecture. And you’ll fall in love with the stunning stained glass at the simply adorned St. Peter Church in the village of Mönchzell.

While we’re on the subject of visiting places, I have to tell you go see the Professor-Kehrer-Haus, a leader in Women’s Health issues. There’s also a monument to Kurfürst (Elector) Carl Theodor von Pfalz-Bayern, a leader who helped develop much of Southern Germany in the 18th century.

Since I don’t believe people should live by history alone, you really need to be outside. This is the Kraichgau, perfect for hiking and cycling until your legs feel like they’re gonna fall off. On one such trek, you should go see the ruins of Burg Zuzenhausen — an old medieval castle that nature has reclaimed.

Oh, look at that… history and outdoorsy stuff in one fell-swoop. Of course, if you’re looking for just nature, there are a couple of nature protected areas — pure unspoiled natural paradise, if you ask me. ;-)