Right now it’s late, and most good boys and girls have gone to asleep hours ago. Obviously, I’m not one of them — because I’m still wide awake thinking about the Middle Franconian town of Abenberg.

It isn’t easy sometimes putting thoughts to paper (computer monitor, you know what I mean) because no matter what I say — it will never impart how special the place really is. You’re just going to have to either trust me, or come to Abenberg to see for yourself.

And if you do come, you’re going to want to see things, right?

Well, in that case, you might want to kick off your visit to see the castle gardens at the Schloss Dürrenmungenau. Ohhh, it even has its own moat — and if you venture a little further away, you’ll see the castle’s orchard.

However, this isn’t the castle the town’s famous for. Nope, that honor belongs to Burg Abenberg. Rightfully so, considering this castle has been the focal point of town for more than a thousand years. The Counts of Abenberg might be gone, but today you’re welcome to outdoor concerts at the castle. You’re also welcome to explore the exhibits of the Museum of Frankish History and the Lace Museum housed inside. Just be sure you manage to get up the castle’s observation tower — the view is worth the effort.

Burg Abenberg isn’t the only thing left from the Middle Ages — Kloster Marienburg is also here; its gold and blue Baroque interior belies its modest medieval beginnings. And every July the Kloster Serenade takes place here, as well as the Stillafest.

As with many other towns within the Fränkisches Seenland, or Franconian Lakes Land, you shouldn’t be indoors for too long. And you won’t be if you’re ambitious enough to hike the nine marked hiking trails through the area. Number 9 isn’t too far of a route, just 3.6 km through the forested landscape. Between you and me, number 7 (10.3 km) is exceptionally beautiful during the winter, but only when it’s all covered with snow.

Too far of a walk for you? No problem, Abenberg can oblige with either horseback riding or carriage rides. Guided tours for those willing to walk can also be done. No guide is needed to navigate your way around the stalls of the town’s Christmas Market, though.

For anyone out there who loves half-timbered houses, I’d suggest you head to the village of Wassermungenau. They got a whole bunch of them, as well as a fetching 15th century church dedicated to St. Andrew.

No wonder I can’t sleep — I can only imagine the wonders Abenberg still has in store. ;-)

Right between Bad Kreuznach (north) and Kaiserslautern (south), is the Collective Municipality of Rockenhausen.

This is a town where Romans once stomped, the French occupied, and viticulture is celebrated; but it didn’t used to be like this. Oh no, it seems a few million years ago, none of this was possible — because the place was teeming with sharks.

You didn’t see that coming, did you? Well, neither did I. ;-)

Let me try to explain better… During some kind of archaeological dig, some lucky archaeologist found shark fossils. Yeah, real shark fossils. Totally cool, right?

Somehow, someway, the waters receded and shaped the landscape of Rockenhausen as we know it. The town even has its own castle, Schloss Rockenhausen, with a modern day hotel (with a Michelin star restaurant and excellent wine cellar, no less) right on the grounds. You’ll find this medieval castle (originally built in 1243) at Schlossstraße 8.

And to learn more about the region’s geology, paleontology, and even medieval blacksmithing and gunsmithing, come to the Heimatmuseum (Heritage Museum). Which isn’t to be confused with the Pfälzisches Turmuhren Museum, or Palatine Tower Clock Museum.

What is it with Germans and their obsession with time? No time to ponder that — I have to tell you all about the town’s many cultural events.

October is one of the best months to visit, because that’s when the Oktoberfest, Kerwe (in Dielkirchen), and Oktobermarkt take place. Of course later in Fall brings on the St. Martinsfest and Christmas Market — so that’s a good time to be here. But, now that I think about it, September’s good because of the Autumn Festival.

It’s probably best to go swimming at the Natur-Erlebnisbad when the weather’s a tad warmer. Here you can do everything from just relaxing, to playing beach volleyball, go diving, or careen down the waterslide — right into the chemical-free water.

One last place to see before you skip town, the Museum Pachen. It’s a 20th century museum with everything from paintings to sculpture; and if you’re into this sorta thing, you’ll find more at the Kahnweilerhaus. Too bad I didn’t see any pictures of sharks though. ;-)

Just a few towns over from the country of Austria, and the German city of Rosenheim, you’ll find the Upper Bavarian town of Riedering. What makes this place so special above any other? Nothing and everything, I’d have to say.

Riedering is a typical Upper Bavarian town, full of little roadside chapels and rolling fields of green grass. It’s a town where the lakes have sandy beaches and children laugh. Riedering is a town of some 71 villages and hamlets, and doesn’t fit into a ready-made mold.

See, nothing and everything.

Do you like castles? Good, Riedering has a couple to see. Schloss Hartmannsberg (wait… that one actually belongs to Bad Endorf) has been here from the year 1166; and so has Schloss Wildenwart (over in Frasdorf) — this one being where Bavaria’s last queen died.

In addition to the little chapels, you’ll find grandiose Baroque churches, too. The Parish Church of Maria Himmelfahrt was built in 1858, and the Church of Saints Rupertus & Martinus is almost a hundred years older.

If I’m not mistaken, the Church of St. Andreas & Vitus is one of the oldest, built way back in the 1400s.

These churches aren’t the only ones to see. Be sure to stop by the Church of Sts. Stephan & Laurentius (another 15th century church), as well as the St. Johannes Wallfahrtskirche, a stunning example of 18th century Baroque art and design.

It’s never a good idea to spend too much time indoors when visiting Bavaria, so it’s off to wander around the local Flea Markets, or party at the Autumn Festival in October. The Leonhardiritt in November is always a good one to experience; and of course, some of the best gifts can be found at the Christmas Bazaar.

I wouldn’t recommend swimming, or game of beach volleyball, in the Tinninger See or Simssee when it’s cold outside — best to save that for summer. You could probably hike through Riedering in just about any kind of weather, but not too sure on Mountain Biking when snow’s on the ground.

However, if you’re that ambitious — who am I to stop you? Have fun… just remember to dress warm. ;-)

What’s that saying, no rest for the wicked? Ahh, no matter — but there’s no rest for me, because it’s time to move along to the town of Laage, right after leaving Satow.

OK, I’m exaggerating a wee bit, because they’re kind of really close to each other, considering they’re both in the Rostock District — only a few kilometers or miles from the city of Rostock itself.

And many folks see this small town first before heading to Rostock, when they land on the Rostock-Laage Airport, which is located in the western part of town.

I know, quite yakking and get to telling about Laage, right? All right, what’s to tell?

Oh yeah, how about the lovely glacial valley landscape; full of hills and meadows? A nature reserve backs right up with Laage, so it’s perfect for any nature lovin’ folks out there.

Ehh, even if you’re not, you will be once you’re out on any of the town’s hiking trails.

Anyone who appreciates fine German engineering might like that Laage is the hometown of Otto Intze, a pre-World War I engineer who helped design many of Germany’s dams. His boyhood home is located at Breesener Straße 21, in a charming half-timbered old house.

Another famous German that lived here was Paul Korff, a 20th century architect who designed the Catholic Church in nearby Güstrow.

A number of other places in Laage are good to see, even if they weren’t designed by the local architect and engineer. The town’s Rathaus (Town Hall) is charming, built in 1872. It’s a bit more preserved than the ruins of the Dutch Windmill, however.

The Stadtkirche has managed to hold up pretty well, considering it was built in the 13th century. Lovers of Romanesque and Gothic architecture will appreciate its design, that’s for sure.

For some reason, it’s the Herrenhaus Rossewitz that I love the most. Oh, it’s in dire need of renovation — and looks like a scary-movie set — but that’s part of its charm.

Not much else goes on in Laage, except for its fun Summer Festivals. If you can’t make the one in June, you’ve at least got another chance in August.

It’d be better to do both, this way you can experience all of Laage. There’s no rest for the wicked, right? ;-)

Just when I think I have Germany all figured out, it somehow manages to throw me a curve ball. I thought at this point, you know, having written a few thousand pages on MyGermanCity.com, that I’ve heard or seen it all.

Joke’s on me, when I got to the Hessian town of Niederaula.

Did you know Niederaula is located within the Rotkäppchenland, or Little Red Riding Hood Country? Ha, me either.

You can call it whatever you want, but I found it to be an idyllic piece of northeastern Hesse, where you’re able to bike, hike, or Nordic Walk to your heart’s content.

Speaking of trails, the Hessian Radfernweg R1 and R7 make their way through town, just so you know.

Niederaula’s finest doesn’t end with just its pretty marked trails. You’ll find some of the prettiest village churches throughout its eight villages, many of them a blend of art and architecture from centuries long gone.

Take the church in the village of Mengshausen, for example. It might have started off a Gothic church, but after renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries — making it more like a Baroque one.

Kerspenhausen’s village church also saw this kind of alteration. It was originally built way back in 1512 (making it over 500 years old), but had to be renovated almost three hundred years ago.

Sounds old, doesn’t it? Yeah, that’s nothing in time compared to the Burgstall Wallenfels — or should I say, what was once a castle from the 12th century — it even had a moat. Still, that’s still not all that old compared to Niederaula’s Stone Age burial mounds.

In addition to being in the Little Red Riding Hood Country, and having a number of historical sites to see, Niederaula is a fun-loving town with a few festivals for everyone to enjoy. I’d have to say the Oktoberfest is probably one of the best, as is the Backhaus Festival on the first weekend of August. And if you want to buy something special, be sure to come to the town’s Eulenmarkt.

I bet Little Red Riding Hood wasn’t going to visit Grandma, she was coming to visit Niederaula — sure, I’d brave a big, bad wolf to come visit. ;-)

What do you do when you stop mining after four hundred years? Well, if you’re the town of Zschorlau, you turn the old Anna am Freudenstein Mine into a Marionette Theater, that’s what.

Really, I’m not making that up; and it’s totally fantastic to see what they did with the place. The old quartz cave is now a venue to enjoy shows like Hansel & Gretel and Puss in Boots — totally unique, don’t ya think?

The top side of Zschorlau is just as wonderful as what’s below, by the way. This is a town where you’ll hear choir concerts on Christmas Eve, and a Passion Play is held every five years (on years ending with a 0 or 5).

Zschorlau is also a resort town, dotted with charming Bed & Breakfasts, and things like an Alpaca Ranch.

Spending any amount of time outdoors here in the Ore Mountains is great. Grab an ice cream cone, and take a stroll among the half-timbered houses, and come see the Clock Tower over at the Church of St. John; and the old Schindler Factory is a proposed UNESCO site.

To see a simply charming German village, it’s Burkhardtsgrün that should be on your itinerary. Well, it’s more like a hamlet than a town, but who’s gonna split hairs? Either way, it’s got a Glass Works from the 16th century to see, and the tiniest village church.

Zschorlau is totally fun, too. Every November they hold the Bockauer Fair, while February has the Buchberglauf, and October’s when the Angelica-Cross-Lauf takes place. The best is probably the Wurzelfest, where the Wurzel Queen is chosen on the third weekend of August.

In between festivals and visits to Zschorlau’s gorgeous Baroque Church, why not try some Geocaching (a great “game” where you find stuff with a GPS), or take in a swim at the Outdoor Pool? Sounds like fun, right? I guess you gotta have something to do if you’re not mining. ;-)

The town of Ovelgönne sits along some heavy hitters here in the Wesermarsh region of Lower Saxony. I mean, its neighbors are towns like Jade and Brake, plus it’s only like 27 km to Oldenburg and about 40 km to Bremen.

Instead of being overshadowed by its impressive neighbors, Ovelgönne thrives. It’s also pretty gosh-darn big, over 123 square kilometers, making it one of the largest places in the area.

Oh, so that’s why it’s chocked full of wide open spaces — plenty of room to spread out. I must say, Ovelgönne is one of those places where you’d shudder at the thought of being indoors.

One exception to the whole being outside thing is a visit to the local Handwerksmuseum, or Craft Museum, whose exhibits are all about regional trades in the area.

Being outside is to really get the best of it. Morbid as it might sound to some, even a visit to the Jüdischer Friedhof (Jewish Cemetery) is a nice idea. There are some 43 gravestones from the late 19th/early 20th century shaded by tall old trees, and surrounded by sprawling meadows.

You want to see something really “old”? No, it isn’t a castle — it’s known as Jedutenhügel, a raised up mound of earth once used as a sort of navigational aid or warning system during the early Middle Ages. I gotta tell ya, I had never seen anything like this before — so it was really nice to learn something new.

I’ve covered the educational, now let’s find something cultural. And there’s no place better to do that than the Ovelgönner Pferdemarkt. This is a three-day “horse” event held on the first Monday of every September that also involves church services, marching bands, and even a lantern parade.

As for those church services, you might pass right by the town’s St. Martin Church, looking more like an ocher-colored manor house than a church.

Oh well, maybe it’s so you don’t spend too much time inside — I did say Ovelgönne was at its best outdoors. ;-)

Up in the Thuringian Mountains lies the town of Ohrdruf, a place founded more than eleven hundred years ago by none other than St. Boniface himself.

A lot about Ohrdruf has changed since Boniface’s day, a lot of history had happened (including some unspeakable horrors), but today it’s a place of serenity and the music of Bach.

Where to start about Ohrdruf? Well, let’s get it over with in the beginning, shall we?

Ohrdruf was once the site of a Concentration Camp (a sub-camp of Buchenwald) in the 1930s and ’40s. Thousands of people died at the camp, with many more on death march before being liberated by Allied troops. It’s believed that the Ohrdruf camp was the first of all the camps to be liberated.

The camp is long gone, replaced by a town that celebrates the beauty of music from Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach lived here for a while with his brother, and now every June Ohrdruf celebrates with its Bach Days.

I’m only too sorry to say that not much of Ohrdruf’s original Church of St. Michael still exists. Only the tower is still around; and even that’s been rebuilt, as it was destroyed by an airstrike. St. Michael is important to Ohrdruf, which is why you’ll find its landmark is the statue known as Eiserner Michael, or Iron Michael.

A few more sites of Ohdruf can be seen by taking a City Tour, which will bring you around to places like the very bright yellow Siechhofskirche, a church built in 1779. I’ll take you to the Church of St. Trinity (built 1709), to the Old Tannery, to see the original defense wall from the 16th century, and the Renaissance Schloss Ehrenstein.

It isn’t all sightseeing, by any stretch of the imagination. Heck no, Ohrdruf appreciates a good party. Every May is the City Festival, followed by events like the Summer Festival (which is in September), and both Heritage Day and Christmas Market events at the castle.

The town is also great if you love the outdoors, whether it’s skiing, fishing, hiking, or taking a leisure bicycle ride.

Maybe this is why St. Boniface fell in love with the area enough to stick around?

There are two words that stand out in my mind when thinking about the Upper Franconian town of Oberkotzau: fire extinguishers.

No, they don’t make them here, it’s nothing as simple as that. It’s just it took me by surprise to find them on sale at the town’s Spring Market. Yup, here among the tables for beer, people walking their dogs, and stalls selling flowers, are fire extinguishers.

I know if you come to Oberkotzau something else will probably stick out in your mind, perhaps it might be the Burgstall Haideck, a 14th century castle that was destroyed less than 300 years after it was built. Schloss Oberkotzau could be the winner with you, but you’ll have to be content looking at it from the outside — it’s privately owned.

Drats, hate when that happens. ;-)

Many of you might have the totally romantic stone bridge, found over by the castle, ingrained in your mind’s eye. Or, the totally lovely Kirche St. Jakobus could be your “fire extinguisher” memory.

And as this is Upper Franconia, the outdoors will no doubt be forever on your mind. Who couldn’t love the Untreusee, an artificial lake where you can do everything from canoeing to surfing, paddle boat to sailing?

Speaking of lakes, Oberkotzau lies along the Seenweg, a 70 km trail that’s all about the region’s lakes.

A really nice route around here is the Saale-Radweg, or Saale Cycle Path, as is the Jean-Paul-Weg — a hiking trail honoring the Classical/Romantic writer, Jean-Paul Richter. And while not exactly a “scenic route”, the Bibelweg is a good walk, too.

It seems as though there are just as many festivals as there are “routes” to follow; and one of the best is the Wiesenfest — taking place on odd-numbered years on the first weekend of July. The Wine Festival is a great one in September, whereas August is the month for the annual Waldfest. Oktoberfest is truly an October event, the Maibaumfest is every May 1st, and Christmas Market happens on the second weekend of Advent.

Have I left any out? Sorry — yeah, I almost left out the Herbstkirchweih (3rd weekend of October) that takes place both indoors and out, as well as the Sommerkirchweih that’s full of music, dancing, and a “Parade of Dogs.” Hey, if you’re proud of your pooch, make sure you enter them in the annual parade.

All of these things are great, and you’re bound to bring home lots of memories — just like the fire extinguishers are mine. ;-)

What a lovely town Harburg (Schwaben) on the Romantic Road turned out to be. Then again, what do you expect from a picturesque town in Bavarian Swabia? I’d expect nothing less, really.

What I didn’t expect was to find these super fantastic castles, that’s for sure.

Burg Harburg is one of the best to see while you’re here — how could it not, it’s a stunning example of 11th and 12th century architecture. Too bad the same can’t be said for Burg Wellwart in the village of Brünsee, it didn’t survive past the 1700s.

Well, anyway, I guess there are far worse places in the world to meander around looking for things to see. Then again, you really don’t have to look all that far because it seems every nook and cranny of Harburg has something pretty to look at.

A tour around town is a great way to make sure you see the old Stone Bridge (along the Wörnitz), and places like the Local History Museum.

Just don’t go spending all your time indoors, this is Bavarian Swabia after all. The bright sunshine and clean air will do wonders for you, so make sure you get out on one of its eight marked hiking trails (ranging from a mere 2.9 km to a more difficult 15.7 km). The bike paths are great too — with an easy paced 11.3 km trail to a more grueling 27.1 km route.

The latter is too much for me, even if this is the Swabian/Franconian Jura area, so I’ll take one of Harburg’s festivals instead.

The Autumn Market comes along at the end of September, while the Wine Festival takes place every October. These two are great, but then again, you’ve got quite a few Kirchweih events going on — there’s one in July, and three each in September and October.

Harburg (Schwaben) might find itself on the Romantic Road because of its idyllic rolling fields and charming lanes, but it’s a town that’s great for a party and anything else you might find along the way.