World War II history buffs have probably heard about the town of Seelow in Brandenburg before. Me? Not a clue until this very moment. It’s all right though, I learn a lot along the way.

The first thing I learned about Seelow is where it’s located — “in the extreme east” of Germany. Oh, that’s an interesting way to put it; but it’s true, as Seelow is only 20 km from the border of Poland, making it about 70 km east of Berlin.

Another thing I learned was that Seelow was the location of one of World War II’s last major battles, known as the Battle of Seelow Heights. On April 16, 1945 the Germans and the Red Army fought it out for three days with everything from tanks, mortars, artillery, aircraft, and rocket launchers on what would be one of the biggest battles fought on German soil.

A sad piece of German history, but if you want to learn more about this epic battle I’d suggest you come visit the museum, and memorial, Seelower Höhen.

It’s hard to imagine the chaos in today’s Seelow, as it’s quiet and serene. A good place for a reflective hike or bike ride, I’d say. One place to ride by is the Stolpersteine, a collection of 12 blocks dedicated to the lives lost during the Third Reich years.

Or, you can head out to the Friedenswald, where you’ll find a baker’s dozen (that’s 13, if you didn’t know) of sculptures in the forest.

One of Seelow’s other places to see art is the Schul- und Bethaus, a prayer house from the 1830s that’s now an exhibition center.

Seelow is that offers up other kind of cultural activities. Come December you’ve got a Christmas Market (with Christmas Stollen, no less), and on the first weekend of every September there’s the Seelow Festival.

I might not have heard about Seelow before, but I’ll make sure from now on that I tell everyone what a wonderful place it truly is.

As it so happens, sometimes I get so excited about what to see that I get all tongue-tied. Wait, how’s that work on when I’m actually typing?

Never mind, I just got all flustered when I found one of the prettiest monastery churches in the town of Schäftlarn.

What amazed me the most, was Kloster Schäftlarn was founded more than twelve hundred years ago — right up until it was “dissolved” in 1803. It reopened again in the 1860s, becoming a school — and remains that way to this very day.

But, it wasn’t the monastery that got me all ga-ga — it was the marvelous Rococo church decorated by Johann Baptist Zimmermann (he worked on the famous Wieskirche in Steingaden), one of the most famous Rococo artists of his day. It’s gardens are also particularly amazing, and it seems like you could lose yourself forever in them.

To make your stay in Schäftlarn even better, six times a year the monastery holds concerts of Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music. And if you get tired after a long day, you’re more than welcome to stay at the Klostergasthof — a minimalist, yet comfortable, accommodation at the Monastery Guesthouse.

I, however, did not join a religious order — so I set out to find something more than just the town’s monastery. What I found was a Weekly Market (on Thursdays at the Bahnhofplatz), and the Heimathaus to learn more of the town’s history. There was also the Forstenrieder Park, a nature preserve area that was once the hunting grounds of the powerful Wittelsbach family.

The best part? I wasn’t but a few towns over from the city of Munich. Who knew you’d find a fabulous forest and a tiny treasure so close to the big city? And for being as small as it is (just over 16 square kilometers), it’s got a fair share of festivals and other cultural events.

Right at the end of August is the best time to come if you like the idea of the town’s Weinfest, and the Kloster plays host to the annual Christkindlmarkt.

Chances are you’ll think Schäftlarn is really wonderful, too. I just hope you don’t get all tongue-tied telling everyone about your trip. ;-)

You’d think at this point it would be pretty mundane writing about every possible town in Germany. I’m here to tell you, no stinkin’ way. Each place has something unique — and something that’ll stick with you in your mind about each and every place.

Here in the town of Satow, it was an old manor house.

The right thing to say would be this stunning ocher-colored mansion, whose Great Hall is gaily decorated with gold and white, as well as having this huge chandelier and gigantic fireplace. Its Red Salon is full of paintings, and is downright homey in this opulent abode.

Hard as it is to pull yourself away from the beauty of Gut Hohen Luckow, the town has some other great places that are most definitely worth visiting. If you want to keep with the whole “Guthaus” theme, then the old manor house in the village of Gerdshagen is a good start. Its history goes back to around 1224 A.D., and the landscape surrounding the old mansion has cute worker’s cottages — and this romantic looking stone bridge.

The other “must do, no matter what” would be seeing Satow’s village churches. You can choose which one you like the most, but for me it’s the one in the village of Heiligenhagen — because of its stone and wood construction with this unique conical tower, and its peaceful graveyard. I love it even more knowing the church was built some 700 years ago, making it one of the oldest places in town.

Right down from Heiligenhagen’s village church is Satow’s World War I Memorial, if you wanna stop.

There might not be time with all the town’s festivals and what-not. This is a place where Easter bonfires take place, as well as community Flea Markets, and they host a cute Christmas Market every December; a Trüffelfest in October; a Dorffest (Village Festival) in September; two Summer Festivals in June, and a Waldfest (Forest Festival) in May.

Some of you might remember Satow for all these lively events — but I’ll still stick with that stunning manor house, Gut Hohen Luckow, if you don’t mind. ;-)

I don’t know what surprised me more about the Hessian town of Walluf; was it its size, just over six square kilometers, or was it how much of its size was dedicated to wine?

Questions to ponder when you’re here, I guess. ;-)

Because of Walluf’s “wine culture” is so prevalent, why not start there. They’ve been making the stuff for more than twelve centuries, mostly to the Riesling variety — so white wine lovers, this is your kind of place. Not only is the landscape decorated with vineyards, but so with taverns and wineries, and even wine tasting stands.

Oh, can’t forget about the guided Vineyard Hikes in September, or the 2-day Wallufer Weindorf in August, can I?

Pulling yourself away from the vino can be difficult (because it tastes so good), but if you don’t, you won’t ever get to see what else Walluf offers up. Things like the artwork at its Rathaus (Town Hall), for starters, and places like the old castle tower, known as the Turmburg.

It’s too bad the Johanniskirche is gone, too. Even though some of the church’s 15th century walls still stand, it is even older than that — believed to have been built sometime in the 900s. Sadly, it was destroyed during the bloody years of the Thirty Years’ War — but today it’s the place of Walluf’s Corpus Christi Procession — and it still has its ossuary.

Do you know what else Walluf has? Mills. Lots and lots of mills — ten of them to be exact. If I remember correctly, the oldest is the Bug-Mühle, built before the 1390s. And before you ask, no it doesn’t mill bugs. ;-)

Interesting conversation starter though at one of the town’s many cultural events. I’ve already told you about the Wallufer Weindorf and Vineyard Hikes, but there’s also a Christmas Market, an Oktoberfest (in October), and an August Summer Festival.

It’s probably best to save some energy — you should really check out the Walluf section of the Hessian Radfernweg R3, and the Rhine Cycle Route. How else are you gonna see the nesting storks?

One thing’s for sure, Walluf really knows how to pack it all in just six square kilometers. So, the real question to ponder is, what will you do first at the Gateway to the Rheingau?

Tell me if I did this math right… The Upper Bavarian town of Tacherting is just some fifty square kilometers, comprised of some 108 villages and hamlets. So, that means (on average) that each of Tacherting’s villages is less than a half square kilometer.

That doesn’t, for any stretch of the imagination, mean that you won’t find something to see or do. People have lived here for thousands of years, which explains the Stone Age graves, I guess. However, it was the Middle Ages that saw one of the biggest booms of growth to Tacherting’s hamlets.

One of the earliest buildings is found in Peterskirchen, whose Saints Peter & Paul church got its start in the 700s — today’s building came along some seven centuries later. The St. Alban Church is quite old, too, but it is only from the 1500s.

If anyone ever asked me where to find old churches, I’d have to say right here; because these two aren’t the only ones. Emertsham’s St. Vitus Church was also built in the 15th century, as was the Pfarrkirche Zu unserer lieben Frau (Parish Church of Our Lady), whose onion dome makes it seem much younger. Speaking of younger churches, the St. Anna Chapel had a complete overhaul in 1780, despite having medieval beginnings.

Just because Tacherting has more than a handful of old churches, doesn’t mean it’s too old for a good party. One of the best has to be the annual Wine & Beer Festival every August, while September is the month for the Kartoffelfeuer, or Potato Roast. Fine wine, great beer, and yummy food — no, life doesn’t get any better.

Yes it does, because Tacherting sits right at the foothills of the Alps (not to mention almost one-quarter forest), giving you the best scenery as you’re hiking (or just plain walking or cycling) after a hearty lunch or breakfast.

Tacherting is educational, too. It is home to the Chiemgau School Museum, and has some 3,000 years of history on exhibition at its Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum, Altöttinger Str. 6).

So what if each village averages less than a square kilometer, one trip here and you’ll see Tacherting is anything but average.

If you’re looking for a central place to stay in Germany, close to the cities of Heidelberg, Mannheim, and Karlsruhe — then you couldn’t ask for anything better than Altlußheim. That’s not to say that’s all Altlußheim has going for it, far from it.

Now you know I never make statements like that without being able to back it up — so let’s get on with it. All right? ;-)

I’d have to say the best place to start your visit to Altlußheim would be the Rhine Promenade, an area where the Rhine River bends full of park benches for quiet reflection, and trails for leisurely strolls or more active bike rides. See that bridge? Cross it and you’re in Speyer.

Wait, you don’t want to go there (yet). You haven’t experienced one of Altlußheim’s many festivals. It seems there’s one every time you turn around… let’s see, what is there? There’s an obligatory Christmas Market, of course. Then they’ve got the Summer Festival (June); a 2-day Fischerfest (August); a 4-day Kerwe in October; a Straßenfest (Street Festival) in September; and the famous Strandfest (Beach Festival) in June.

Altlußheim’s beach is good almost anytime of year, well, more specifically May to September. The Blausee is wonderful family fun, with not only a sandy beach, but has a playground for the kids and a BBQ area when you want to grill up some goodies.

The town has two unique museums, one is all about cars and motorcycles (known as AUTOVISION Museum); the other’s all about the hair salon business (called Schnuteputzers Friseurmuseum, funny name isn’t it) — and how it’s changed over the last 100 years.

That sounds like a long time ago, but nothing compared to Altlußheim’s start on an old Roman Road. I guess that kind of makes the town’s Protestant Church of St. Nicholas not seem all that old either; but trust me, it is, it was built in the 1700s.

Where can you go from here? Anywhere you want, but remember this is the Rhine-Neckar Region — and you’re not too far from the Kraichgau, so find a hiking trail — and get to walking; or you can come to the town’s Bird Park, open year round to see all kinds of feathery friends.

Sure you can find all this in some of the big cities surrounding Altlußheim, but you won’t find it with this town’s style and panache, that’s for sure! ;-)

I’d wager to say, life is good here in just about every little village and town in Upper Bavaria. At least it is here in the town of Rohrdorf, located along the Inn River.

What you should know, is the town isn’t overrun by a bazillion castles and festivals — no, this is more of an intimate kind of town, even though it has some thirty-eight villages to its name. Rohrdorf is quiet and serene, perhaps it has something to do with all the old churches you’ll find along the way.

Ah, I take that back. Not all of Rohrdorf’s churches are old — the Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) in the village of Thansau is a modern addition, an example of contemporary art of the 20th century, or so its been said.

Me? I’m a traditionalist, I like the Gothic and Baroque churches of old — kind of like the Pfarrkirche of Sts. Peter & Paul (located at Hochriesstraße 19 in the hamlet of Höhenmoos), a happy blend of 15th century Gothic and 18th century Baroque art and architecture.

You know, now that I think about it, the St. Johann Baptist Church (in the village of Lauterbach) is also both Gothic and Baroque. This little gem is found at Chiemseestraße 18, if you want to see it.

In between visits to Rohrdorf’s numerous churches and chapels, you might want to trek along one of the many hiking or bicycle trails that criss-cross the countryside.

You’ll also find, in addition to the well-marked trails, quite a number of local eateries — like cafes, bakeries, and pizzerias. If you get tired, just spend the night at one of the little guesthouses, and you’re all set for the evening.

It might be a good idea to book something in advance if you’re going to come for Rohrdorf’s annual Wine Festival, held every October. What a good way to usher in the cooler weather, huh?

The wine itself is good reason enough to visit, but when you add in all the other wonderful things you’ll find here — it just makes it even better.

Before heading to another state, I’m gonna make the best of it here in Leutershausen while I can. It’s not possible to do a year’s worth of stuff in a short period of time, but I’ll give it a go.

Actually, consider this idea if you don’t have much time either. Take a guided City Walking Tour, which usually starts at one of Leutershausen’s medieval gates. The Unteres Tor (Lower Tower) is a museum detailing life on a typical Old World farm. You gotta call ahead for an appointment to see it, otherwise wait until either the Kirchweih or Altstadtfest (2 days in July) for it to open.

Don’t confuse that with the Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum, located at Am Markt 1-3), that’s open Easter to October, from Tuesdays to Fridays. Ohh, more opportunity to learn all you can about Leutershausen.

A walking tour takes you into the town’s past, generally the Middle Ages, to see its St. Peter Church — where there’s been a place of worship on this very spot for over a thousand years. You’ll also get to see parts of the town’s original Stadtmauer, or fortification wall, from the 14th century.

The Nachtwächter (Nightwatchman) Tours are great fun — and as always, a unique way of learning and seeing a place. However, if you’re going to venture out on your own, I’d like to suggest visiting the 13th century Pfarrkirche St. Erhard; and it’s right close to a very old cemetery.

No, it isn’t creepy — we Germans look at cemeteries like parks, albeit for doing more subdued activities, like reading.

All right, no cemetery? OK, then, go see the 14th century St. Mauritius Church instead. Or, perhaps you’d prefer to give the Kneippanlage a go.

Of course, looking for Leutershausen’s storks is always fun, too, as is riding around the Altmühlradweg, or giving Geocaching a try. You’ll really be lucky if you’re here for the Dorffest, a three-day affair in June — or the Autumn Market.

Hey, shopping is an activity, too. As if there’s not already enough to do in Leutershausen. ;-)

Let me start off by saying, there’s no possible way I could have made it through all of Wegscheid’s eighty-four (!) districts without spending an entire year here. Too bad, I wouldn’t have minded being here this long — my heart jumps a beat being here in Lower Bavaria.

A year here is good, giving everyone an opportunity to do everything in all four seasons.

Winter turns Wegscheid into a wonderland, with chances to go Alpine skiing, or cross-country skiing, or even snowshoeing. Come New Years, it is a fun community event to go winter hiking together.

The warmer months offer up a chance to do even more outside activities. Hopefully you’ve got the energy to go hiking, mountain biking, regular cycling, golfing, Nordic Walking, and take in a game of tennis or two.

Heck, I’m tired and all I did was think about all that. ;-)

You better save energy, because you won’t get any rest while partying at one of Wegscheid’s festivals. There are no less than two Wine Festivals (one in July, the other late August/early September); a Pfarrfest (Parisch Festival) in June; a Summer Night’s Festival (also June); another two Church Festivals in August; a Summer Festival in July; and an Autumn Market in September.

Oh, I’m pretty sure I’ve missed a couple — hopefully the folks at the Town Hall forgive me. If they don’t, they might run me clear out of town — straight into Austria, that’s located right next door. ;-)

I’ll go hide in one of Wegscheid’s churches or chapels — my favorite being the Cemetery Church of St. Anna, a graceful Baroque church that’s about three hundred years old. The Rococo styled St. John chapel is awe-inspiring too, if you’re out looking at these stunning religious sites.

Wegscheid is educational, too. The Webereimuseum (Weaving Museum) highlights this under-appreciated art, and there are Glassworks nearby to see how cooked sand makes wonderful pieces of art. And don’t leave out a visit to the Graphite Mine, a look into a little thought about industry. It’s cool to learn something new, right?

What I learned about Wegscheid was, what started out on a medieval trade route has become a great place for recreation and history hidden away in the Southern Bavarian Forest. My only regret? Not being able to visit all its villages.

Oh well, it’s an excuse to come back again and again.

Did you know that, as a town name, Kronau is quite popular? No, I didn’t either — having found out there’s one in Canada, a few in Austria, and two in Bavaria.

None of these, however, are the Kronau I’m at right now. That’s right, you’ll find THE Kronau in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, right between Heidelberg and Karlruhe.

No disrespect to any of the other Kronaus, but this one is quite special. How? Some four (yes, 4) scenic routes wind their way through this tiny town of just around 5,500 people.

The Paneuropa Radweg is a start, a cycle route that runs across Southern Germany between France and Czech Republic. The Rheintal-Weg is another, a 520 km bike route, as is the slightly shorter Heidelberg-Schwarzwald-Bodensee-Weg at a mere 303 km; and we can’t leave out the Kraichgau-Hohenlohe-Weg comes through either.

As if that’s not enough, Kronau has some great neighboring scenic routes — like the Bertha Benz Memorial Route, and the Baden Asparagus Route. Even if the King’s Veggie route doesn’t come directly through, it’s still in the vicinity so you’ll eat deliciously here.

The other way to eat great in this Kronau is at one of the many festivals held throughout the year. Wait, food’s not on the agenda for June’s Musikfest (Music Festival), but you’ll definitely be thinking about eating and drinking at the Fisherman’s Festival (July), followed by the Summer Festival, Oktoberfest, Kerwe, and Christmas Market.

Not too shabby for a place that lost ninety percent of its population during the Thirty Years’ War, huh? Instead of fleeing the area, people are flocking to it for camping at the Althäuser See, swimming at the Lußhardtsee, sightseeing at the St. Laurentius Church (built 1861), and to see many of its half-timbered houses.

With all this going on, you’d never guess this Kronau isn’t even eleven square kilometers. Yes, there might be many towns with the same name — but they might not all have the same panache as this one — showing you that bigger isn’t always better.